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The Young People's Prmer-Meetm 
and its improvement. 



By CAL. OGBURN. 




SiZITH KM INTRODUCTION B¥ 



Vx^U-<XAs 



PPwES. D. R. Dungan, 
Professor of Mental and Moral Philosophy, Cotner University. 



"Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of 

the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, 

in spirit, in faith, in purity. — 1 Tim. 4:12. 



St. Louis: 
CHRISTIAN PUBLISHING COMPANY, 

1894. 



<, 



y ©5 



Copyrighted, 1894, by 
Christian Publishing Company. 



The Library 
of Congress 



WASHINGTON 



D^diqatioi?. 

TO MY MOTHER IN HEAVEN, 

Who always had, and, I am confident, still has, 

deep interest in my welfare, and to whom, more 

than to any other earthly being, I am indebted for 

whatever of goodness and usefulness I possess; and 

with the prayerful hope that it may strengthen 

every good impulse in the minds of its readers, 

help them to worship God more acceptably, and 

enable them to.be more useful to " Christ and the 

Church," this little volume is, with filial and tender 

regard, inscribed by 

The Author. 



PREFACE. 



If ' 'books are born, not made," I can truly 
say that this little volume is no exception to the 
rule. It is not the mechanical combination of 
words and sentences, but the offspring of Expe- 
rience and Observation. 

In its pages I have endeavored to state clearly 
and to explain fully, as far as I have gone, how 
to make the young people's prayer -meetings 
more interesting and profitable. 

It may at first appear to some that I have en- 
tered too much into detail, but I think it will be 
conceded at once by all for whom I have written 
— the young people in Christ of all religious de- 
dominations — that nothing has been explained too 
fully. 

I am quite sure that we, whose duty it is to in- 
instruct the people, give them credit for knowl- 
edge they do not possess ; and this I say without 
thought of casting any reflection whatever on 

them for their lack of understanding. The re- 

(5) 



6 Preface. 

flection, if any, is rather upon those whose duty 
it is to impart instruction. We seem to forget 
that it has taken "precept upon precept; line 
upon line; here a little, and there a little,'' to 
give to us the comparatively small amount of in- 
formation we possess; so we only offer "hints 
and suggestions, ' ' to those whom we should in- 
struct, which are often as meaningless to them 
as the hieroglyphics on an Egyptian obelisk. 

Let it be borne in mind , then , that I have not 
written for the young people of the past, but for 
those of the present and future — not for the ex- 
perienced, but for the inexperienced, and let the 
value of the book be determined accordingly. 

And now, little book, may God bless you on 
your mission of usefulness to the young men and 
young women, and to the boys and the girls, who 
have pledged, or shall pledge, themselves to be 
loyal to ' 'Christ and the Church. ' ' 

Cal. OgburNo 

Riverside, Cal, Feb. 3, 1894. 



CONTENTS. 



Introduction. v . . . . u 

CHAPTER I. 

WHO SHOULD NOT ATTEND? 

The ill-behaved— Hobby-riders, whether old or young— The 
habitually lugubrious— The hypercritical— The super- 
sensitive— Members of ' 'Mutual Admiration Societies. ' ' 
17 

CHAPTER II. 

WHO SHOULD ATTEND? * 

All who are mentioned in the preceding chapter, after they 
reform— The officers of the church— Old people who are 
still young in spirit— The pastor— All Christian young 
men and young women— All young people who are in 
sympathy with the purpose of the meeting. ... 25 

CHAPTER III. 

SECURING ATTENDANCE. 

Increase the number of active members— Increase the num- 
ber of associate members — Look after the absent — Have 
the meetings announced from the pulpit— Make use of 
the printing-press— Advertise the meeting in the local 
papers — Post invitations in hotels, depots, etc. — Dis- 
tribute cards— Extend personal invitations— Use tact- 
House to house canvassing — Talk the meeting up — Make 
the meeting interesting 3i 

(?) 



Contents. 



CHAPTER IV. 

THE SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE PRAYER - 

MEETING. 

All the work of this committee auxiliary to the prayer- 
meeting— Members should go early— Act as a reception 
committee— See that the room is neat and tidy— Be 
bright and " sunshiny "—Greet all at the door— Act as 
ushers— Fill up the front seats, if you can— Introduce 
strangers 49 

CHAPTER V. 

THE PRAYER -MEETING COMMITTEE AND ITS WORK. 

Prepare a list of topics — Secure leaders— Conduct or be 
present at a "leaders' conference' '— Have the general 
oversight of the meetings— Prevent long pauses— Assist 
in arranging an order of exercises— Suggestive pro- 
grams 54 

CHAPTER VI. 

THE WORK OF THE MUSIC COMMITTEE. 

Its importance— Co-operate with the leader in selecting ap- 
propriate hymns— Arrange for a little special singing- 
Give a brief history of familiar songs— Relate incidents 
connected with their use — Call for favorite hymns — Sup- 
plement hymns with a verse or two of some Bible song 
— Start hymns impromptu — Sing with the spirit — Be on 
time— Organize a "chorus choir"— Sing the gospel, and 
get others to sing it , 63 

CHAPTER VII. 

THE LEADER'S GENERAL PREPARATION. 

Preparation very necessary— Questions to be correctly an- 
• swered — General preparation never finished— More im- 
portant than special preparation— A liberal education — 



Contents. 



A knowledge of God's Word— The cultivation of piety- 
Be prayerful— Cultivate every Christian virtue and 
grace— Dr. Beecher's sermon 74 

CHAPTER VIII. 

THE LEADER'S SPECIAL PREPARATION. 

Peculiarly forcible questions— Study the subject and texts 
— Subdivision of the topic — Arrangement of the program 
— Selection of an appropriate Scripture lesson— The 
choice of appropriate texts— Quotations from popular 
author— Prayer— Dr. Clark's advice— Attention to de- 
tails 83 

CHAPTER IX. 

LEADING THE MEETING. 

Froebel's maxim— Come early— Begin on time— Be master 
of the situation— Never scold— "I'm not prepared" — 
Speak briefly and to the point— Leaving the meeting in 
the hands of the society — Request to " verse-readers" 
—Discourage desultory Bible reading— Speak distinctly— 
"Ten minutes more"— Close on time or before— Have a 
"wider margin." 95 

CHAPTER X. 

PREPARING TO TAKE PART. 

* c Those awful pauses"— Thorough preparation— Two 
special reasons for being prepared— Study the subject 
and the Bible— Compare text with text— Memorize 
choice texts— Study the prayers of the men of God- 
Talk about the meeting with others— Write upon the 
subject— " Only an idea, my dear"— Prof. Greenleaf's 
request— Gather up illustrations— "Pray without ceas- 
'ing"— Audience fright 105 



10 Contents. 



CHAPTER XI. 

TAKING PART. 

The first essential— " The true ■worshiper' '—Two commend- 
able ways— Silent prayer— Audibly means audibly— Be 
natural, if you can— "Talking to kill time"— Vary the 
manner of participation — Take the part assigned — Do 
not tell how you feel— Sentence prayers— Participation 
by attentive listening 120 

CHAPTER XII. 

THE CONSECRATION MEETING. 

The thermometer of the society— Repeating lessons learned 
before — The roll-call— An objection considered— How to 
keep the meeting out of ruts— The two purposes of the 
meeting — Self-examination and reconsecration — One 
duty performed does not release from others— Collective 
consecration— Rev. F. E. Clark quoted 131 

CHAPTER XIII. 

SUGGESTIVE ORDERS OF EXERCISES FOR THE CONSE- 
CRATION MEETING. 
142 

CHAPTER XIV. 

SELECTIONS FOR THE CONSECRATION MEETING. 



150 

CHAPTER XV. 
PROGRAMS FOR SPECIAL MEETINGS. 

A catechetical meeting— Missionary meeting No. 1— Mission- 
ary meeting No. 2 — An evening .with hymn-writers and 
their hymns 156 

The Use of the Blackboard in the Young 
People's Prayer -Meeting. 175 



INTRODUCTION. 



The work of the young people has become so 
important that it cannot be passed in silence. The 
time was when grave and thoughtful men stood 
in doubt of it. Not wishing to stand in the way of 
any force to be operated in favor of the cause of 
Christ, and fearing, on the other hand, that the 
inexperience and want of discipline on the part 
of the leaders would cause it to fail of its pur- 
pose, and so leave the cause its adherents loved 
weaker than it found it, they said nothing. Their 
plan was , ' ' Let be , and see if Elias will come 
and help him ;' ' ' 'Let it alone, for if it is from 
men it will come to nought, but if it be of God ye 
cannot overthrow it. ' ' 

But the time of waiting is over. We know now 
that it is a power for good. Nor do we endorse 
it because of its rapid growth and great numbers , 
but because its aims are right, its workers are 
willing and active, and its plans are wise. 

1. The commission, ' 'Let him who hears say, 
(11) 



12 Introduction. 



Come, ' ' calls on all who know the Lord to par- 
ticipate in the work of turning the world to God. 
It is not a question of age nor sex, but of know- 
ing the Lord, and ability and desire to work in 
his cause. 

2. What individuals and classes of disciples 
can do to the best advantage in the service of 
their Master can, many times, be learned by 
trial. The ability of the Endeavor workers, for 
instance, has now been sufficiently tested. No 
reasonable doubt now remains as to this being a 
legitimate field, and one of the best which, at 
this time, they can occupy. 

3. These earnest workers are nearer the young 
people who are out of Christ than the pastor or 
the older members of the church. Hence they 
can reach them easier and do them more good 
than any others. 

4. They are more active in the work than are 
the older members. Their hope is stronger and 
their blood is warmer. They will go when and 
where the older ones will not and can not go. 
And the pastor who does not have the assistance 
of a young people's society is unfortunate, to 
say the least. The only pure church is the one 
that is active in the service of the Lord. Where 



Introduction. 13 



all are workers there will be no grumblers , and 
no cases of discipline. 

5. The effects of this movement are the diffu- 
sion of Biblical knowledge, the adoption of 
practical methods for the evangelization of the 
world, and the unity of all the people of God. 
As they have no creed but Christ, they cease to 
feel the influence of sectarianism. Maturing 
under these conditions , they will ever work and 
pray for the unity of the people of God. 

6. I have long felt the need of a work which 
would set before these enthusiastic workers for 
Christ principles and orders which would assist 
them in their work. And I am delighted in the 
prospect before me. The book to which you are 
now introduced has been carefully written by 
Cal. Ogburn, of Riverside, California. I re- 
member him as one of the best and most faithful 
of my students in Drake University, Des Moines, 
Iowa. lam charmed with the book itself: it is 
just the work which is needed at the present 
time; its characteristics are correctness, clear- 
ness, adequacy, force, brevity. May the bless- 
ing of God rest and remain upon the book, the 
author, and the many thousands who read it and 
follow its wise -hearted suggestions. 

D. R. DUNGAN. 



Young People's Prayer-Meeting 



THE YOUNG PEOPLE'S PRAYER-MEETING 
AND ITS IMPROVEMENT. 



CHAPTER I. 

WHO SHOULD NOT ATTEND? 

HThe prayer-meeting should have for its 
* object the cultivation of the devo- 
tional spirit. If persons without this de- 
sire are in the majority, or if there are 
even enough of them present to make 
their presence felt, they will injure or ruin 
the meeting. They create an atmosphere 
that is decidedly malarious. The devo- 
tional sentiment is soon poisoned and 
dies. 

It has often happened, and will doubt- 
less happen again, that a meeting that has 
been planned for and prayed over by a de- 
vout few, and has been looked forward to 
with joy, has been made a miserable fail- 
ure by those being present who were en- 

2 (17) 



18 The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 

tirely out of sympathy with the purpose of 
the meeting. Who, then, should come to 
a young people's prayer-meeting? This 
is a vexed question, and one that it is 
difficult to settle practically. No rule 
can be made that will always be effective. 
No two communities or congregations of 
young people are exactly alike. Sancti- 
fied common sense must be used in all 
cases in deciding this matter. It is safe 
to say, however, that persons should not 
come who are ill-behaved when present. 
It is a sad fact that there are those who 
think themselves young men and young 
women, and who would be greatly insulted 
if they should be charged with lacking the 
principal element of true manhood or 
womanhood — due respect for the house 
and people of God — who attend the meet- 
ings with more or less regularity and, as 
regularly as they come, misbehave in. a 
shameful manner. Prayer-meetings have 
been laughed and whispered out of exis- 
tence. Save the "giggling girls" and the 
"smart young fellows," who are usually 
with them, if you can, but do not sacri- 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 19 

fice the prayer-meeting. Patience, even, 
sometimes ceases to be a virtue. If the 
meetings are losing in interest from time 
to time, silent forbearance with the dis- 
turbers must end. 

Sometimes to have a pious middle-aged 
or elderly member of the church attend 
the meetings and sit near those who are in 
the habit of misbehaving will obviate the 
necessity for doing anything more to se- 
cure good order. Care should be taken, 
if this is done, to select some one in whom 
they have the utmost confidence as to his 
being a true Christian. Not to do this is 
to make a bad matter much worse. 

If this does not effect a reformation, it 
is better to ask the pastor or one or more 
of the elders or deacons to talk to them 
privately about their lack of respect for 
the people who meet to worship God, 
than for the young people to take the 
case in hand. Unless you are quite cer- 
tain there are young people in the society 
who have great influence over them, turn 
the whole matter over to the official board 
of the church, where it properly belongs. 



20 The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 

Hobby-riders, whether old or young, 
should stay away. Theoretically it would 
be very appropriate to have a placard 
above the door bearing the words, "No 
admittance to religious cranks and hobby- 
riders," but practically it would be per- 
fectly useless to do so, for they would be 
the last persons in the world to apply it to 
themselves. About the only way to deal 
effectually with them is to tell them pri- 
vately and plainly, face to face, that the 
prayer-meeting is not the place for them 
to parade their pet chargers; that no- 
body cares who Cain's wife was, or what 
became of " the lost ten tribes of Israel." 
They may take offense and remain away 
altogether. If so, congratulate yourselves 
that " their room is better than their com- 
pany." It is utterly impossible to reform 
a chronic religious crank — one who is for- 
ever dilating upon some wild theory. Do 
not waste time and patience in trying to 
bring about a reformation, for "Ephraim 
is joined to his idols: let him alone." 

All who are habitually lugubrious should 
not come. Fortunately for themselves 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 21 

and others this is a very limited class. 
But one or two can kill a prayer-meeting. 
His very appearance is sad and dolorous. 
You would think he had lost all his friends 
but for the absence of the antiquated 
crape hat-band, and you even feel like 
presenting him with a whole bolt of crape, 
thinking that probably in his extreme sor- 
row he had overlooked that sacred badge 
of mourning and index to a broken heart. 
The whole congregation cannot sing, "Joy 
to the World " or "Blessed Assurance " 
loud enough to drown his deep sighs. 
Occasionally he places his handkerchief 
to his face to absorb the solitary, and to 
him very welcome, tear that steals down 
his cheek. He knows that death or some 
impending disaster is near at hand. These 
are very degenerate days to him. He 
looks only on the dark side of everything. 
If he calls for a hymn to be sung it is 
"Hark from the Tomb." His favorite 
passage of Scripture is Ps. 90:10. His 
favorite poem Burns' "Man was made to 
Mourn." He cannot understand why 
anyone, and especially young people, 



22 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

should be so light-hearted. He is an east 
wind to the prayer-meeting. Keep him 
away. 

The hypercritical should not attend. 
There are a few persons in every com- 
munity who seem to have been born in 
the "objective case." Nothing suits 
them. They are never happy, but the 
nearest approach to it is when they can 
find, or make, which it is not hard for 
them to do, an opportunity to unmerci- 
fully criticise some one. They are as 
often found at the prayer-meeting as any- 
where, and invariably for the one pur- 
pose for which they live — to criticise. 
They are nothing if not critical. These 
self-appointed critics will tell you the 
singing was perfectly awful, the prayers 
dull and prosy, the remarks of the leader 
rambling and disjointed, though he, as 
often probably she, neither sang, or 
prayed, or uttered a single sentence. She 
seldom does. She does not attend for 
that purpose. You can tell that by the 
turn of her nose and the curl of her lip, 
which indicate anything but a devotional 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 23 

spirit. She is not present at every meet- 
ing. Her refined ethical nature can not 
bear the strain. She is sure to be pres- 
ent, however, at all special meetings and 
upon all important occasions. Bless her 
dear life! how much occasion she gives 
for the cultivation of at least one Chris- 
tian virtue — patience. 

Super-sensitive people should absent 
themselves from the prayer-meeting. How 
uncomfortable they are, even in the house 
of God. They are always being slighted 
by some one or everyone. The more at- 
tention they receive the more they de- 
mand. They are more exacting than Shy- 
lock. They will not tolerate any recog- 
nition of others, for it is always at their 
expense. Poor, silly, sensitive, selfish 
soul ! How I pity you ! I know you are 
rather a rare specimen, and for that rea- 
son you would probably be more comfor- 
table in a dime museum than at a young 
people's prayer-meeting. I advise you, 
therefore, to place yourself on exhibition 
in some third-rate "museum of wonders." 

All who belong to any " Mutual Admi- 



24 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

ration Society" should remain away. The 
motto of these societies is not "For Christ 
and the Church," but, "You compli- 
ment me, and I'll compliment you." If 
self-praise is half scandal, then the ful- 
some flattery of each other by the mem- 
bers of these societies is all scandal. It is 
a shameful, sinful thing to do. Avoid 
hypocrisy as you would the deadliest 
poison, as in fact it is. Never bestow an 
empty, meaningless compliment. Neither 
by hint or insinuation, or in any other 
manner, indicate your desire to receive 
such. Be too Christ-like to ever do any- 
thing to receive praise of men. Compli- 
ment the deserving in an honest, mod- 
est way, but do not flatter them. If at 
any time inclined to be anything but true 
and honest in the sight of God in this 
matter, read Matt. 25: 1-33. 



CHAPTER II. 

WHO SHALL ATTEND? 

T^his question is quite as important as 
* the one discussed in the preceding 
-chapter. There should be no imitation 
of the old man's prayer for salvation — 
"Me and my wife, my son and his wife, 
we four and no more" — in answering this 
question. There should be nothing self- 
ish or clannish connected with it. The 
prayer-meeting must not be for the 
benefit (?) of a select few. It should 
he entirely in the interest of all for 
whom a young people's prayer-meeting 
is by its very name intended. All should 
attend who will assist either directly or 
indirectly in making it more interesting 
and profitable, or who will be benefited 
by being present. 

All who are mentioned in the preced- 
ing chapter should attend, but with the 
express understanding that they first 

(25) 



26 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

reform. Why should anyone by his con- 
stant misbehavior disturb and annoy 
others who are worshiping God? Why 
should the religious crank repeatedly 
canter about on his carefully-groomed 
steed to the utter disgust of those who 
must witness his monotonous perform- 
ance? Why should the "graveyard 
Christian" be there to pour into unwel- 
come ears his doleful story? Why should 
the captious, caviling critic, like some 
hundred-eyed Argus, be present with his 
compound microscope to magnify the 
faults and shortcomings of others? Why 
should the "sensitive plant" come when 
she knows so well how the slightest 
touch will cause her such intense pain? 
And why should the members of the 
"Mutual Admiration Society" be at the 
meeting with their selfish pride and 
vanity? Certainly the folly and sinful- 
ness of such conduct only need to be 
pointed out, seen and realized to lead to 
repentance and reformation. 

' 'Oh, wad some power the giftie gie us 
To see oursels as ithers see us, 



The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 27 

It wad from mony a blunder free us , 
And silly notion. ' ' 

The officers of the church should be 
present. Sometimes it is urged as an 
objection against the Y. P. S. C. E. that 
" it has a tendency to alienate the young 
people from the church." A very 
strange thing indeed when its motto is, 
"For Christ and the Church;" when a 
clause in the pledge, without which there 
can can be no true Christian Endeavor 
Society, binds the members to "support 
their own church in every way, especially 
by attending all her regular Sunday and 
mid-week services;" and when Arti- 
cle IX. of the model constitution, which 
has been adopted by most societies, de- 
clares that "this society being a part of 
the church, the pastor, deacons, elders 
or stewards, and Sunday-school superin- 
tendent shall be ex-officiis honorary mem- 
bers. Any difficult question may be laid 
before them for advice." 

I think it is quite possible that this 
objection has been raised by persons who 
did not fully understand the principles 



28 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

of the society, or it may have been oc- 
casioned by Endeavorers not being true 
to their pledge. In either case let the 
officers of the church attend the prayer- 
meeting and render what assistance they 
can to make it more helpful to all. 
This their experience and good judgment 
will enable them to do in many ways. 
They can probably render the greatest 
assistance as the aged woman helped the 
young women who had banded them- 
selves together in a missionary society. 
She was always present at their meetings, 
but remained silent. When asked why 
she attended so regularly, her reply was, 
i 'To smile on them." Let the officers 
be at the meeting, not to "run it," but 
to encourage the young people. Go and 
"smile on them." It will be like smiling 
at a mirror — they will smile back at you. 
Old people, who are still young in 
spirit, might attend occasionally with 
pleasure and profit both to themselves 
and the young members. It might be 
better for them to take the advice some- 
times given to children, "Be seen, not 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 29 

heard," especially for much speaking. 
Engage heartily in the singing and re- 
sponsive reading, but do not take any 
further part, especially if there are 
enough young people present to fully 
occupy the time, unless invited to do so, 
and then be brief— please be very brief. 
Do not "feel slighted" if you are not 
invited to "say a word." The leader 
means no disrespect toward you. Re- 
member the meeting is for young people. 
You are there to encourage and help 
them by your presence. 

The pastor should be present at the 
meeting. This is to both pastor and 
society a matter of great importance. 
How can the pastor keep in touch with 
the young people of his congregation to 
guide and help them in their religious 
life if he is habitually absent from their 
prayer-meetings? If he cannot attend — 
which is hardly possible — he should give 
the reason for being absent. Fellow- 
pastor, do not allow your young people 
to believe that you have not interest 
enough in their welfare to attend their 



30 The Young People* s Prayer -Meeting. 

meetings. If they have that opinion of 
you, your power over them for good is 
at an end. 

Sometimes it is claimed that the pres- 
ence of the pastor is embarrassing. If 
this claim is ever justly founded there 
must be something wrong in the relation 
between that pastor and his young peo- 
ple. This is an unnatural condition. 
Are the children embarrassed in their 
father's presence? No more should the 
young members of the church be in their 
pastor's presence. 

The trouble when it exists may be on 
the side of the pastor principally, and 
that too without his being conscious of 
it. In taking part from time to time in 
the young people's prayer-meetings, he 
may display his knowledge of Greek and 
Hebrew in his exegesis of Scripture, may 
delve into the mysteries of the sciences, 
or explore the mazes of metaphysics, 
quite forgetful of the fact that he is 
addressing young people. They soon 
come to the conclusion that they ara in 
the presence of one who is vastly their 



The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 31 

superior, and that to attempt to say any- 
thing will only display their lack of wis- 
dom, and they very naturally feel embar- 
rassed. The remedy is at hand and is 
easily applied. The preacher should 
come down from the throne where he 
has unintentionally placed himself, and 
be one of the young people. 

On the other hand the principal cause 
of embarrassment may be a misunder- 
standing of the pastor by the young 
people. They do not confide in him as 
they should; do not realize that his 
chief object in being present at their 
meetings is to help and encourage them; 
that he would be the last person in the 
world to criticise or find fault with any 
attempt on their part, however blunder- 
ing and awkward it might be, to take 
part in the meeting. A careful con- 
sideration of this matter will remove 
all occasion for embarrassment. 

It is well for the pastor sometimes to 
lead the meeting, taking his turn as one 
the young people. He should be cordial 
in his manner, and his remarks should 



32 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

be simple and brief. He should endeav- 
or to make every one present feel that 
it would be a pleasure to take part in 
the meeting, and he should try to make 
it easy for them to do so. He should 
leave many loose ends that can be easily 
taken hold of by others. Avoid convey- 
ing the impression in the beginning that 
" we are about to have an awfully solemn 
time." 

All Christian young men and young 
women should come. Not only those who 
are members of the society, but all who 
are Christians. There is some danger of 
laying such stress on the society that 
young Christians who are not mem- 
bers of it will not feel that they are 
welcome at the prayer-meeting. In mak- 
ing the announcements of the meeting, 
from time to time, all Christian young 
people ought to receive a cordial invita- 
tion to attend. And when they come 
they should be made to feel "at home," 
and be invited to take part in the meet- 
ing. 

All young people who are in sympathy 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting, 33 

with the object of the meeting should 
be present. This will include not only 
the associate members, but many others 
who have not signed the pledge. 

As far as it is possible, give each one 
present something appropriate to do to 
make the meeting more interesting. 
Everyone should have a hymn book 
whether he can sing or not. Bibles 
should be provided for all. Many will 
read quotations if handed to them with 
the request to do so. Strive to use every 
person in such a way that he will con- 
tribute to the profitableness of the meet- 
ing. This should be planned for by the 
leader and Prayer-meeting Committee 
when arranging the program or order of 
exercises for the meeting. This is an 
important matter, and ought to receive 
due attention at the proper time. 



CHAPTER III. 

SECURING ATTENDANCE. 

TVTot the least factor in a successful 

* ^ prayer-meeting is a large attendance. 

Double the number of persons present 

and, other things being equal, you will 

more than double the interest and power 

of the meeting. A young man said, "I 

will be one of a dozen to take part, but I 

cannot be one of a few." To be sure it 

is very possible to have an interesting and 

profitable meeting when there are but 

few present, for it is the assurance of the 

Master that "Where two or three are 

gathered together in my name, there am I 

in the midst of them." Matt. 18 :20. 

The most essential thing of all is to 

meet in the name of Christ. Then the 

greater the number of such persons there 

are together the better for the interest of 

the meeting. 

To secure a larger attendance, increase 
(34) 



The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 35 

the number of active members in the so- 
ciety. These are pledged " to be present 
at, and to take part, aside from singing, 
in every Christian Endeavor prayer-meet- 
ing." If they are true to their pledge, as 
all real Endeavorers are, they can always 
be relied on. 

Somebody asked an old soldier who was 
in charge of a gun commanding an im- 
portant point at the Battle of Waterloo, 
what he could see while the battle was in 
progress. " See," said he, "nothing but 
smoke and dust." "What did you do? " 
" Stood by my gun." 

That is what everyone does who has 
taken the Christian Endeavor pledge in 
good faith. He stands by the prayer- 
meeting. 

Wayland Hoyt has beautifully observed 
concerning the "typical prayer-meeting 
of the New Testament," an account of 
which is given in the second chapter of 
Acts, that "it was an attended prayer- 
meeting. 'TJiey were all with one accord 
in one place.' Peter was not absent be- 
cause it happened to be a little hot, and 



36 The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 

James was not away because it happened 
to be a little cool, and Bartholomew was 
not away because it happened to be a lit- 
tle wet, and Matthew was not away be- 
cause his toga was a little worn, and Mary 
was not absent because her veil had got- 
ten to be a little out of style, and Salome 
and Andrew did not refuse to fill their 
places because just then there happened 
to be a party in Jerusalem, and James the 
Less was not away because he thought 
that Peter was taking a little too much to 
himself and was just a little officious. 
Not for any reasons like these or for any 
other reasons imaginable was any one 
away. It was an attended prayer-meet- 
ing. They were all with one accord in 
one place. Oh, the enthusiasm of num- 
bers ! Oh, the holy contagion of religious 
elbow touch! Oh, the power of pres- 
ence! And this typical prayer-meeting 
had all these. It was an attended prayer- 
meeting." 

Increase the number of associate mem- 
bers. These "promise to attend the 
prayer-meetings of the society habitu- 



The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 37 

ally," and by taking part in many appro- 
priate ways, besides their presence being 
helpful and stimulating to others, they 
add very much to the interest of the 
meeting. Their presence should be an 
incentive to the active members to make 
the meetings as interesting as possible, 
with the end in view that they may be 
led thereby to take a decided stand for 
Christ. This should never be lost sight 
of by those who are already Christians. 

Securing names of persons to propose 
for membership in the society should not 
be left entirely to the Lookout Commit- 
tee. While this is a part of their special 
work, every member should give what as- 
sistance he may be able. The Lookout 
Committee should also have the help of 
all the members in securing the regular 
attendance of those who have signed the 
pledge. This means, if it were done, 
that the committee would have almost 
nothing to do in this respect, just as they 
ought not have, for every member would 
always be present unless detained by a 
lawful excuse, and in that event, unless it 



38 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

were impossible to do so, an explanation 
for being absent would be sent to the 
meeting. 

The members should see that looking 
up absentees is the smallest part of the 
work of the Lookout Committee. Why 
should any member by being unneces- 
sarily absent from the meetings, lay any 
additional burden upon this committee? 
It is not courteous or right to do so. 

Absent members should receive atten- 
tion without delay. If some member of 
the Lookout Committee can not visit them 
at once, then letters of friendly inquiry 
should be sent. Be especially careful not 
to make any insinuation in those letters 
that the persons addressed could have 
been present if they had so desired. This 
would not be right unless you absolutely 
knew it to be a fact, and then what is 
said would better be kindly spoken when 
you are face to face. Avoid conveying 
the impression to the absent member that 
he is being nagged for not being present. 
If a letter is written, the following may 
serve as a model : 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 39 

Dear Friend: 

The prayer -meeting last evening was one of the 
best we have had for a long time. We are very- 
sorry you were not present to enjoy it with us , 
and to make it still more interesting. We hope* 
your absence was not caused by the sickness of 
yourself or others. We shall call to see you soon. 

Yours in C . E . , 

The Lookout Committee. 
Jan. 15. 

It is not necessary to say to any Chris- 
tian Endeavorer, that in writing the truth 
should always be stated modestly, and 
that there should be no attempt to flatter. 

Have the meeting announced from the 
pulpit. This the pastor will be glad to 
do, especially if a notice of the meeting is 
given him. Let the leader, or better still, 
some member of the Prayer-meeting Com- 
mittee, write plainly a brief notice to be 
read from the pulpit at the morning ser- 
vice announcing the meeting for that even- 
ing. Then in the evening have a notice 
for the pastor to read, of the young people's 
prayer-meeting on the following Sunday. 
You should not expect your pastor to 
make any announcement of the meeting 
unless the notice is prepared and handed 



40 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

to him or left on the pulpit. He has 
enough to attend to without doing a part 
of the work of the Prayer-meeting Com- 
mittee. Select some member of this com- 
mittee to prepare the pulpit notices for 
one month, and another member to fur- 
nish the press notices for the same time. 
Fix the responsibility on some individual. 
"What is everybody's business is nobody's 
business." 

The following will be suggestive : 

The prayer -meeting of the Y. P. S. C. E. 
will be held from 6 to 7 o'clock this evening in the 
lecture -room of the church. The subject is ''Do- 
ing the will of God. ' ' Miss Nellie Graves will 
lead the meeting. All young people, whether 
members of any church or not, are cordially in- 
vited to attend. 

The Prayer -Meeting Committee. 

Use no stereotyped form of announce- 
ment. You might say in one of your 
press notices: 

The young people of the First Christian 
Church would like to have the pleasure of wel- 
coming to their prayer -meeting next Sunday all 
young men and young women who are strangers 
in the city. Meeting begins at 6 o'clock. Church 



The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 41 

at the corner of Sixth and Vine streets. Recep- 
tion committee at the door. 

Make use of the printing press. Ad- 
vertise. Put brains in it, and advertise. 
It pays better in the Lord's work than in 
business. In almost every city and town 
every local paper will be glad to publish 
notices of Endeavor meetings, free of 
charge, if the " copy " is furnished. There 
is no good reason why the daily and week- 
ly newspapers should not be used in se- 
curing a larger attendance at the prayer- 
meetings, even if it costs something to 
have a " local ?? inserted. Let it be said 
to the honor of the editors and publishers 
of almost all the papers in the land that 
they are in such hearty sympathy with the 
Endeavor movement that they cheerfully 
assist in its advancement without receiv- 
ing or expecting any financial remunera- 
tion therefor. 

The member of the Prayer-meeting 
Committee chosen to do so, should pre- 
pare the notice early in the week and hand 
it to the pastor to be incorporated in 
his announcements, or it may be given 



42 TJie Young People's Prayer -Meeting, 

directly to the paper at the proper time. 

The local C. E. Union might have, if 
the request were made, an " Endeavor 
Column " in one or more of the city 
papers, where all their announcements 
could be made from time to time, and the 
notices and other important items con- 
cerning the work of the societies be in- 
serted. The space should be equally di- 
vided between the societies represented 
in the union, and a member selected from 
each society to act as "reporter." This 
plan will work well, if it is worked. 

Then there is the invitation for the 
hotel, the depot, the street car, and the 
postoffice. Have neat placards printed 
in two or more colors, and, if permission 
is given, post them in the various places 
indicated. A modest frame and a glass 
to protect from dust are advisable. Do 
not have anything " loud " about them. 
This would be sufficient: 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 43 

THE PRAYER MEETINGS 

of the 

Y. P, S, C. E. 

of the 
First Baptist Church, 

571 Vine Street, 
Are Held Every Sunday, at 6 P.M. 

All Young People Will Be Welcome. 

There is also the invitation card for the 
use of the members of the Prayer-meeting 
Committee. These cards can be had for 
a trifle from the denominational publish- 
ing house of your society, as they are 
usually kept in stock. 

In addition to this, it would be well for 
every member of the society to have an 
invitation card for his own or her own 
use. An ordinary visiting card for the 
young women and a business card for the 
young men, having on its reverse side an 
invitation to attend the prayer-meetings, 
would be an excellent thing. The extra 
cost, if any, for the invitation, would be 
very small to each one if several members 
had cards printed at the same time, which 
they could easily arrange to do. It will 



44 The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 

be seen that the cards need not be alike 
for any two persons. Any style of card 
may be selected that each individual 
chooses. I would have on the reverse 
side of the card an invitation similar to 
the one suggested for hotels and depots, 
or such an invitation as this : 

The prayer -meetings of the Y. P. S. C. E. of 
Calvary Presbyterian Church, 867 Broadway, are 
held every Sunday at 6 P. M. Yon are cordially 
invited to attend. Please ask your young friends 
to come with you. 

Use the printing press freely, but do 
not depend upon it. Extend personal in- 
vitations. It is good to advertise, but 
personal solicitation is better to increase 
the attendance. Imitate the zealous D. 
L. Moody. One of his first efforts as a 
young convert was to hire four pews in 
Plymouth Church, Chicago, and keep 
them full of young men every Sunday, 
and then to fill up a mission school on the 
North Side, and he has kept at this busi- 
ness of filling up churches ever since. 

Tact, which is the application of good 
sense and wisdom to work, is necessary— 



The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 45 

very necessary — in order to receive a 
hearty response from those who are in- 
vited. 

A church in a certain community, feel- 
ing the need of special efforts to reach 
the non-church going class, appointed 
committees to canvass the neighborhood 
and invite them to attend the services. A 
lady, on one of the committees, called at 
a residence and the bell was answered by 
the gentleman of the house. She said, 

"Mr. B , I am on the committee 

recently appointed by our church to visit 
all the sinners in the neighborhood to 
invite them to church, and I just thought 
I would call on you first! " It is need- 
less to say that the man was repelled. 
The invitation was not accepted. The 
woman who visited him was wanting in 
tact. 

If persons who have piety, wisdom and 
discretion, can make the canvass from 
house to house to invite the young people 
in the vicinity of the church to attend the 
prayer-meetings, it should by all means 
be done. Give them a cordial, hearty, 



46 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

sincere invitation to come. Avoid both 
formalism and flattery. Leave a card an- 
nouncing the time and place for the meet- 
ing. If they do not come, call again, if 
your wisdom and good sense tell you it is 
the thing to do, and renew the invitation. 
Be sure to invite strange young people 
who move into the neighborhood of the 
church, and do it without delay. If they 
have not been in the habit of attending 
church or a young people's prayer-meet- 
ing, they may come now before they 
choose their associates. If they have at- 
tended elsewhere, they will appreciate 
your interest in them none the less. Go 
to their homes, if agreeable to them, and 
accompany them to the meetings, but do 
not impose your services upon them. 
Modestly offer yourself as an escort, and 
your good judgment will tell you whether 
your company will be acceptable or not. 

Talk the meeting up. Not simply talk 
about it, but talk it up. A prayer-meet- 
ing can be as effectually killed before 
it begins as it can while it is in progress. 
Speak disparagingly of the last meeting; 



The Young People's Prayer 'Meeting. 47 

criticise those who took part; tell how 
discordant the singing was; say that 
the prayers were prosy; tell of the mis- 
takes that were made, and the meeting 
will be a failure in attendance, in inter- 
est, in every way. But talk it up, 
above the last or the coming social, 
above business, above everything else, 
and there will be a marked improvement 
in the meeting. A few persons, who 
are of very little help to a prayer-meet- 
ing, who take no part in it worth men- 
tioning — and those are the only persons 
who will do so — can talk about the meet- 
ing till they kill it. Talk it up. Tell 
what a good meeting the last one was, 
how much you missed by not being there, 
and how much you were missed. 

Make the meeting so interesting that 
all who come once will come again. To 
do this do not think that the prayer- 
meeting should be changed to something 
else, but strive to make it so cheerful, 
prayerful and good that all will be made 
to realize that it has been pleasant and 
profitable to be there. If to "preach the 



48 The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 

gospel and advertise" is a good way for 
a preacher to get and hold an audience, 
the same plan must be carried out in a 
young people's prayer-meeting. Have 
the meetings of so high an order that 
all will go away realizing that they have 
not only been entertained but benefited, 
then they will come again. 



CHAPTEE IV. 

THE SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE PRAYER- 
MEETING-. 

Tt is not an uncommon thing for a 

* young people's prayer-meeting to be 

at least a partial failure because the 

Social Committee has not done its duty. 

The prevailing opinion of the members 

of this committee is that their work is 

wholly outside of the prayer-meeting, 

and that it is not in any way auxiliary 

to it. This idea is erroneous. They can 

and ought to make their work help the 

prayer-meeting, which is the key-stone of 

the arch of Christian Endeavor. This 

they may do both directly and indirectly. 

The members of the Social Committee 

at least have it in their power to give 

the meeting a good start, and everyone 

knows what a great advantage there is 

in that. If the meeting does not start off: 

well it is almost certain to be a failure. 
3 (49) 



50 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

The Social Committee should go early. 
Be the first person present at every 
meeting, Remember you are the Recep- 
tion Committee. If the room is not in 
order — and in all probability it will not 
be — go early enough to put it in order 
before anyone else arrives. Pick up the 
lesson leaves used in the Sunday-school 
in the morning, and other scraps of 
paper that may be scattered about; ar- 
range the chairs; distribute the hymn- 
books and Bibles; prepare the leader's 
table by placing upon it a Bible, hymn- 
book, topic and invitation cards, and, if 
the Flower Committee has forgotten part 
of its work, a bouquet or two if possible; 
see that the " lamps are trimmed and 
burning, 9 ' and the room properly warm- 
ed and ventilated, if the janitor has neg- 
lected to do so. 

You would not want an invited com^ 
pany of young people to come to your 
homes and find you unprepared to re- 
ceive them. Paul's injunction, "Let 
everthing be done decently and in or- 
der," will apply quite well to everything' 



The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 51 

connected with the prayer-meeting. Go 
early, and see that the room is comfort- 
able, orderly and tidy. Have everything 
in readiness to receive your guests when 
they arrive. 

Receive, at the door, all who come. 
Give everyone, and especially strangers, 
a cordial greeting. Let yours be " free- 
hearted hospitality." Be bright, active, 
courteous, " sunshiny." Extend a royal 
welcome. Act as ushers. Fill up the 
front seats first. Besides disturbing the 
meeting, it is quite embarrassing to many 
to be compelled to take a front seat after 
the rear seats are all occupied and the 
meeting begun. See that there are no 
vacant seats immediately in front of the 
leader, for the leader of a prayer-meeting, 
like nature, " abhors a vacuum," but, un- 
like nature, has not the power to fill it. 

Every member of the society ought 
to be willing to take a front seat at every 
meeting, and he is inexcusable if he does 
not. The importance of the members' 
sitting near the leader has so often been 
pointed out that it would be quite useless 



52 The Young Peoples Prayer -Meeting. 

to speak of it again if it were not so gener- 
ally disregarded. What I am saying can- 
not be understood as being for informa- 
tion. It is certainly not so intended. 
It is only meant for emphasis. Again I 
repeat, sit near the leader at every meet- 
ing. Let the members of the Social 
Committee do all they can, as ushers and 
otherwise, to see that this is done. It 
will improve the meeting greatly. 

Hand to everyone who comes into the 
room during the singing of a hymn, or 
while the audience is engaged in respon- 
sive reading, a hymn-book or Bible open 
at the proper place — book right side up. 
To do this conveniently, have some hymn 
books and Bibles at your station near 
the door, and in your hand a book already 
open at the hymn that is being sung, or 
at the chapter that is being read. When 
you have seated the person, hand him the 
book. 

Be sociable. Nothing is worth so 
much to the prayer-meeting that costs 
so little. Take positions near the door, 
and allow no person to go out of the 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting, 53 

room at the close of the meeting without 
giving him a hearty handshake and a 
genuine, " Glad to see you. Come again. 
Please invite your friends to come too." 

If there are strangers present, ask their 
names and place of residence and intro- 
duce them to others. If they expect to 
remain long, call on them during the 
week and ask others to call. In this 
way you will make them regular attend- 
ants at the prayer-meeting. If you can- 
not remember the name and place of 
residence, write them down at once in a 
little memorandum book kept for that 
purpose. Tell the pastor about them. 
He would be glad to call, and help you 
make them feel at home. Sociability is 
a power for good too often neglected. 
Use it, cultivate it, and thus assist in 
improving the prayer-meeting. Make 
all your work as a Social Committee 
tributary to this end. Be sociable to all, 
at all times. Nothing will improve the 
prayer-meeting more. 



CHAPTER V. 

THE PRAYER-MEETING COMMITTEE AXD ITS 
WORK. 

A part of the work of the Prayer-meet- 
**■ ing Committee is to prepare a list 
of subjects for the meetings, but as the 
" uniform topics" are now generally 
used, this part of their work is in most 
instances done by others for the com- 
mittee, and it is better that it should be. 
The subjects selected are usually prefer- 
able to those an inexperienced committee 
would choose; the help offered, in the 
various published expositions and illus- 
trations of the uniform topics, is a de- 
cided advantage; visitors may know what 
the subject of the meeting will be and 
may come better prepared to take part; 
while the cost to the society of having 
the subjects printed is reduced to a mere 
trifle. These uniform topics, neatly 

printed on card-board, may be obtained 
(54) 



The Young People's Prayer- Meeting, 55 

from the denominational publishing 
houses of any society or from the Golden 
Rule Publishing Co., Boston, Mass. 

Another part of the work of this Com- 
mittee is that of selecting leaders. In 
order to make the meeting more interest- 
ing and helpful, great pains should be 
taken in making these selections. Study 
carefully the subject, Scripture texts and 
leader before the appointment is made. 
See that there is, as far as possible, mu- 
tual adaptation of the subject and leader. 
To illustrate: 

The topic for the meeting some months 
ago, "Punishment for Sin; Its Certain- 
ty," was not a proper subject to be as- 
signed to an innocent little girl, who 
scarcely knows by experience what sin is. 
That should have been given to some 
young man who has repented in sack- 
cloth and ashes and reformed after hav- 
ing " sown his wild oats," if there is 
such a person in the society. He will 
be more likely to make the meeting a 
success than one who has not drank so 
deeply of the bitter cup of sin. 



56 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

If there is to be a "Praise Service," 
put the meeting in the hands of some 
young lady whose soul is overflowing 
with songs of thanksgiving and gladness. 
All will be pleased and helped by the 
way she will conduct the meeting. 

"Preparing the Way of the Lord," 
was one of the subjects some time ago, 
and which was well adapted to a leader 
who, like Isaiah, Jeremiah, John the 
Baptist, Daniel, or King Josiah, would 
not, under any circumstances, make any 
compromise with sin in any of its forms. 
Or to one who, like the Apostle Paul, in 
addition to this splendid characteristic, 
has the missionary spirit in great meas- 
ure. 

Let the temperance meetings be led 
by those who give forth no uncertain 
sound on the great curse of the age. 
But these illustrations are sufficient. 
The members of the Prayer-meeting 
Committee ought to be persons who are 
well acquainted with every member of 
the society, and who will give the ap- 
pointment of leaders the attention it 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 57 

deserves. The same suit of ready-made 
clothing will not fit every person equally 
well. It would be well to have a " lead- 
ers' conference" soon after tHe appoint- 
ments have been made by the Prayer- 
meeting Committee for the quarter to 
talk over the prospective meetings, and 
if it is found at that meeting that a 
mistake has been made in the selection 
of any leader, an exchange of leaders 
and topics can be effected to the 
mutual advantage of both leaders and 
with profit to the meeting. Of course 
the members of the Prayer-meeting Com- 
mittee should be present at- the leaders' 
conference. 

If for any good reason the leaders are 
Hot all selected at one time for the com- 
ing quarter, the appointment should be 
made and the subject assigned at least 
two weeks before the time for the meet- 
ing. This will give the leader ample 
time to make all necessary preparation, 
which is but just to him and to those 
who will be at the meeting. 

It is also a part of the work of this 



58 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting, 

committee to have the general oversight 
of the meetings. Long, awkward pauses 
are likely to occur, especially if the lead- 
er is inexperienced, or has not made 
suitable preparation, or if others have 
failed to come prepared. These pauses 
are very embarrassing to many, and par- 
ticularly annoying to the leader, and as 
they will most effectually kill the meet- 
ing, the committee should guard against 
them as much .as possible by previously 
arranging with a number of persons to 
take part as soon as the interest appears 
to be decreasing. It requires both grit 
and grace to take hold of the " cold end " 
of a prayer-meeting, but it must be done. 
Let the Prayer-meeting Committee see 
those best qualified to act in such an 
emergency and get them to • promise to 
do so. 

It is the further duty of the Prayer- 
meeting Committee, assisted by the Music 
Committee, to aid the leader in prepar- 
ing a program or order of exercises for 
the meeting. This may be at least par- 
tially arranged at the leaders' conference. 



The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 59 

No two meetings should be conducted in 
exactly the same way. There are two 
extremes to avoid, one is monotony, the 
other novelty, and one is as fatal to the 
profitableness of the meeting as the other. 
Choose the happy medium — variety. 
Have the same general plan, with some 
variation each time. Do not allow the 
meeting to be turned into a singing-school 
or lyceum. These are very well in their 
places, but the hour and place appointed 
for the prayer-meeting are not the most 
appropriate. 

The following may be suggestive to 
those who have had but little experience : 



Order of Exercises, No. 1. 

1. One or two songs suited to the subject of 
the meeting. 

2 . Responsive Scripture reading by the leader 
and the audience. 

3. Two or three short, definite prayers. 

4. A verse or two of an appropriate song. 

5. Reading of lesson texts, and brief, pointed 
remarks by the leader, followed by a few earnest 
words of prayer. 

6. Two or three verses of some soul -stirring 
song. 



60 The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 

7. Meeting open to all for hearty, voluntary 
participation by brief remarks, fervent prayers, 
short Scripture quotations, appropriate recita- 
tions, spirited singing. 

8. Announcements, collection, doxology, Miz- 
pah benediction. 



Order of Exercises, No. 2. 

1. Song suited to the evening hour, such as, 
"Fading, still fading," "Abide with me, fast 
falls the eventide, ' ' or, ' 'Sun of my soul, thou 
Savior dear. ' ' 

2. Silent prayer by all, followed by audible 
prayer by the leader, or some one previously 
appointed. 

3. Solo or duet of devotional character. 

4. Short Scripture lesson, say Psa. 1; Rom. 
12; Titus 2, or James 2, read responsively, with 
an occasional apt remark by the leader. 

5. The Lord's prayer repeated in concert. 

6. Song on the subject of prayer. "Sweet 
hour of prayer, " ' 'I love to steal awhile away, ' ' 
' 'What a Friend we have in Jesus, ' ' ' 'Just as I 
am, without one plea, 5 ' are all appropriate. 

7. Announcement of the subject and texts by 
the leader, followed by prompt, voluntary par- 
ticipation in the meeting by all present. 

8. Closing remarks by the leader — a few ear- 
nest, thankful sentences — announcements clearly 
and concisely made, averse of song, and bene- 
dictory prayer by the leader or some other person. 



The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 61 

Order of Exercises, No. 3. 

1. A song all will sing. "Lo, the army of 
our King,'' ' 'Shall we gather at the river?" 
1 'All hail the power of Jesus' name," or some 
other universal favorite should be selected. 

2. Sentence prayers by many in quick suc- 
cession. 

3. A brief biographical sketch of Isaiah, Eze- 
kiel, Matthew, Paul, etc. , when the Scripture 
lesson is selected from either of their writings . 

4. Concert reading of the lesson. 

5. Familiar song — solo or duet— congregation 
singing the chorus. 

6. Prayer by the leader. 

7. Meeting open for voluntary participation. 

8. Invitation by the leader or pastor to confess 
Christ, song, announcements, closing prayer. 

As soon after the meeting as practica- 
ble the Prayer-meeting Committee should 
encourage and compliment all who have 
taken part in the meeting, who are justly 
deserving. Care should be taken, of 
course, not to give undue or overdue 
praise. No complimentary remarks at 
all are better than too many. The per- 
son may be made to doubt your sincerity 
if too much is said. Flattery is a sin, 
and its very appearance should be avoid- 



62 The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 

ed. Be quiet and modest in what you say 
and do. Encourage the timid, and re- 
strain the ostentatious. Give to each 
"his portion in due season," jealously 
guarding yourselves against every form 
and appearance of "bossism." Do not 
try to " run things." Let all you say and 
do be said and done in the spirit of love, 
and " for Christ and the Church." 



CHAPTER VL 

THE WOEK OF THE MUSIC COMMITTEE. 

*T*he work of the Music Committee is 
* no less important than that of the 
Prayer-meeting Committee. It is impos- 
sible to estimate the power of the Gospel 
in song over the soul. I verily believe 
that more persons have been sung into 
the kingdom of righteousness than have 
been preached into it. The sweet story 
of Jesus and his love, when wedded to 
rhythm and music, sweeps everything be- 
fore it. It is a force that is irresistible 
when sung with loyal lips from conse- 
crated hearts. 

This committee, composed, as all com- 
mittees should be, of persons who will 
do, promptly and cheerfully, the work 
assigned them, should co-operate with the 
leader in selecting songs that shall be, as 
far as possible, in harmony with the line 

of thought indicated for the meeting. It 
(63) 



64 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting, 

is not necessary to use one kind of hymn- 
book exclusively at any meeting, though 
it is usually better to do so for general 
singing, as it prevents confusion and less- 
ens the possibility of being mistaken as 
to the hymn it is desired to have sung. 
For half the congregation to sing one 
hymn and the other half another hymn 
at the same time would be almost as ludi- 
crous a blunder as could well be made. 
No unfamiliar songs should be selected 
for all to try to sing. When all are asked 
and expected to sing, the song selected 
ought to be one that all can sing. There 
are some hymns and some tunes that have 
never grown old. Both words and music 
are always fresh and new, and everybody 
delights to sing them. These should 
have the preference when making your se- 
lections. Do not practice new songs in 
your prayer-meeting. Have a time es- 
pecially for that purpose. Remember 
that the prayer-meeting hour has been set 
apart for worship, and not for the re- 
hearsal of new songs. It is not the place 
for "choir practice. " 



The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 65 

Arrange for a little special singing at 
each meeting — -a solo, duet or quartette 
touching the subject of the meeting, and, 
better still, touching the hearts of all 
present. To do this— the latter— the 
singing need not be " artistic." It is not 
necessary that the singers should be grad- 
uates from the " Boston Conservatory of 
Music," or, for that matter, from any 
other conservatory. Ask some " good old 
mother in Israel" to sing for you "a 
song of ye olden time, a hymn of the 
long ago," and as you listen to her you 
will wonder why you had not thought to 
ask her to sing before. Her voice may 
not be quite as musical as it once was ; it 
may have lost some of its clearness ; that 
rich, sweet cadence that once character- 
ized it may not be there any more; it may 
occasionally "flat" or "sharp" at the 
wrong time, but there is still a melody, 
an inspiration about her singing that is 
truly soul-stirring. Listen to her as she 
sings, "My latest sun is sinking fast," 
or, " One sweetly solemn thought, comes 
to me o'er and o'er." Did you ever hear 



66 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

anything more beautiful? Probably some 
kind-hearted Christian mother will sing, 
" Where is my wandering boy to-night?" 
I feel confident, if she will, that every 
young man who hears her sing, as only a 
mother can sing, will resolve that his 
mother shall never have cause to mourn 
because of his prodigality. Why should 
the good effect of this song be lost by 
its being sung with an " operatic air," 
when there are so many mothers who 
would put their whole souls into it? And 
who can tell the value of amother's soul, 
a mother's love! 

I would go further to hear one of the 
aged saints of God sing one of the songs 
of Zion than I would to listen to any 
prima donna who ever graced — or prob- 
ably oftener disgraced — the stage. If it 
is a young people's meeting, do not fail 
to invite the old to sing occasionally. 
Ypu will enjoy hearing them, and they 
will be pleased to know that you remem- 
ber and appreciate them. 

Get some person to tell in a few woMs, 
aptly chosen, when, by whom, and under 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 67 

what circumstances, some song suited to 
the subject of the meeting, was composed. 
Then let a verse or two of it be sung. 
Or a verse or two may be sung, then a 
brief account of its composition given, 
followed by the singing of a second or 
third verse. Dufiield's " English 

Hymns" will be of valuable assistance. 
Have some person relate, either before 
or after a verse of it is sung, an incident 
connected with the singing of some 
hymn. Some of these incidents are very 
beautiful. They tell of souls being 
brought to Christ; of hope restored; of 
comfort given ; of temptations withstood ; 
of friendships renewed. Select each 
time, if possible, some incident bearing 
directly on the subject of the meeting. 
Many of the papers contain, from time 
to time, material that may be gleaned for 
future use. Look through your, old files 
of the Golden Hide, Young People's 
Standard, Our Young Folks and Youth's 
Companion. " The Life of Knowles 
Shaw, the Singing Evangelist," can also 
be consulted to good advantage. 



68 The Young Peoples Prayer- Meeting. 

Ask some one to tell which is his favor- 
ite hymn, and why it is his favorite. In 
this way a bit of personal history may be 
brought to light, or the person's inner 
life revealed — his temptations, aspirations 
and desires made known to you, as in no 
other way, in the hymn he indicates as his 
favorite — and thus you will be enabled to 
assist that person in overcoming difficul- 
ties and rising to a nobler manhood as 
you have never been able to do before. 
This will also afford you an excellent op- 
portunity to reach the associate members. 
Try it. 

One will say, " This song is my favor- 
ite because I used to hear my mother sing 
it so much." Love, gentle, sweet and 
constant, like a mother's love, will win 
that person to (jjhrist. Fail not to point 
out to him the love of God. Isa. 66: 13; 
Jno. 3: 16, 17. Another person will say, 
" I was once very sick. A very excellent 
Christian woman sang this at my bedside. 
It has ever since been my favorite." 
Christlike integrity and sympathy will win 
him to the Savior. 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 69 

Select some old song and get two or 
three persons to tell, in a few words, why- 
it is always so new and fresh. It has been 
translated into various languages, and is 
everywhere a favorite. Our grandfath 
ers sang it, and our grandchildren will 
doubtless sing it. Why is it so univer- 
sally popular? Is it because the author 
of the hymn caught an echo of the new 
song, Eev. 5: 9, and has been able to 
faintly reproduce it? Does it appeal to 
a common want? Or are its popularity and 
vitality due to the music rather than to 
the words, to the words instead of the 
music, or to both words and music? 

During the week previous to the meet- 
ing, a note, something like the following, 
might be sent through the post-office to 
two or three members of the society: 

Dear Friend: 

If you could only sing one song, of all you have 
ever heard, what would you prefer that song to 
be, and why? Please reply at the Young Peo- 
ple ' s Meeting next Sunday evening , and oblige , 
Yours for the Gospel in song, 

The Music Committee. 
Jan. 23. 



70 The Young People'* s Prayer -Meeting. 

See that the remarks about favorite and 
popular hymns, suggested above, are 
briefly supplemented something in this 
manner : 

' ' Oar attention has been called to some of the 
songs composed within the last one hundred 
years, and we have been told why they have 
lived so long and are still so .young and popular. 
Now please listen to the reading of a portion of a 
song composed long before Homer's 'Iliad' was 
conceived of. ' The - Lord is my strength and 
song, and he is my salvation: he is my God, and 
I will prepare him an habitation: my father's 
God, and I will exalt him. ' Ex. 15: 2. Thus it 
appears that Whittier's beautiful 'Centennial 
Hymn' was not entirely new in thought, for we 
see that Moses sang it fifteen hundred years before 
Christ was born. ' ' 

Many songs can be appropriately and 
beautifully supplemented with a verse or 
two of some Bible song, and it would be 
well if the Music Committee would see 
that it is often done. The Word of God 
is a wonderful treasure-house. Go to it 
for true riches. 

Speak to the best singers to occasional- 
ly start familiar hymns impromptu, that 
is, without announcing the number or 



The Young People's Prayer- Meeting, 71 

title of the hymn, or using the organ. 
This is especially desirable when the in- 
terest of the meeting begins to wane, and 
immediately after an earnest exhortation. 
The prayers, remarks, quotations and 
Scripture readings may all be beautifully 
supplemented in this way. Ask only 
those who will be most likely to give the 
tunes the right pitch to do this, otherwise 
do not suggest it. Not every good singer 
can give even a familiar tune the right 
pitch, the first trial he makes, without an 
instrument. 

Sing with the spirit and the understand- 
ing also as well as with the voice, and see 
that everybody else does the same. 
Strive to express the sentiment of the 
author of the hymn. David once said he 
would "make a joyful noise unto the 
Lord." If there are any in the congre- 
gation who can not make a joyful noise 
when singing, get them to make a noise 
of some kind, even if they do not sing 
with "expression." Let the singing 
usually be, in the strictest sense, congre- 
gational. " Let all the people sing." In 



72 The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 

order that they may do so, be sure that 
every person has a book, and that the 
leader distinctly re-announces any song 
that may be called for. Do not neglect 
these little matters. Attention to details 
is what brings success in anything. 

Insist upon all who sing well to always 
be on time, and to sit and sing to- 
gether. It would be well to organize a 
" chorus choir' 9 composed of all the 
good voices in the society, and let them 
meet once a week for rehearsal. If there 
is a large volume of song and one or two 
get off the tune a little, they are not 
noticed. Poor singing will kill the meet- 
ing. Good singing will revivify it. 

Let your consecration as Christian 
singers be deep, constant and thorough. 
This couplet should be your motto : 

' ' Take my voice and let me sing 
Always — only — for my King. ' ' 

God will not use that voice to win 
souls that sings comic songs. Churches 
whose choirs are composed of uncon- 
verted persons are practically Christless 
churches. They have no power. They 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting, 73 

are not saving the people from their sins. 
One of the pressing needs in almost 
every church is for more consecrated 
young men and young women to sing the 
Gospel. To be sure there are many of 
these now, but there should be many 
more. The more Christ there is in the 
heart of the singer, the more of Christ 
there will be in the song; and the more 
of Christ there is in the song, the more 
there will be at the close of the service 
in the hearts of the people. Sing the 
Gospel, and get others to sing it. 



CHAPTER VII. 

THE LEADER'S GENERAL PREPARATION. 

Tt is very necessary that suitable prepar- 
* ation be made to lead a young people's 
prayer-meeting. The leader will certain- 
ly fail who does not do so. It would be 
considered very foolish for a preacher to 
appear before his audience, or a Sunday- 
school teacher before her class, who had 
not made all possible preparation, and it 
is quite as absurd for any person to 
attempt to lead a prayer-meeting who has 
not given the matter the attention that 
its importance deserves. 

I am persuaded, however, that but few 
leaders are purposely unprepared to con- 
duct a prayer-meeting. Many do not 
know what is required of them, and 
therefore do not know what preparation 
to make, and on that account have failed, 
wholly or in part, to fit themselves for 
leaders. 

(74) 



The Young People's Prayer- Meeting, 75 

What is the purpose of a young peo- 
ple's prayer-meeting? What is it to lead 
the meeting? What shall the leader say 
and do, and what shall he endeavor to 
have others say and do? These and simi- 
lar questions must be correctly answered 
by every successful leader. 

The essential purpose of the prayer- 
meeting is to cultivate the spiritual nature 
of all who attend — to train and develop 
the devotional spirit. To lead the meet- 
ing is to assist every one present in doing 
this. What is said and done should be 
with this end in view. 

The leader's preparation is of two kinds 
— general and special, and the first, like 
a woman's work, is never done. It can 
and should go on day after day and year 
after year. If the individual feels that 
either the general or the special prepara- 
tion must be neglected, that he cannot 
do both, by all means let it be the special 
preparation that is given up. It does not 
follow, however, that either must be 
done. I have only said what I have for 
the purpose of emphasizing the impor- 



76 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

tance of general preparation. It is most 
important. Many persons who would 
not think of attempting to lead a prayer- 
meeting without having made special 
preparation give little or no thought, 
comparatively, to their general prepara- 
tion. The relation between the two is 
similar to that of a university course to a 
hasty investigation of some very impor- 
tant subject, and the knowledge gained 
thereby. What would the physician know 
about medicine, or the attorney about 
law, if the study of these sciences was 
proceeded with in this way? 

The leader's general preparation is very 
essential to the success of the meeting, 
and should, if possible, comprise a liberal 
education. Other things being equal, the 
person who has the best education will, 
as a rule, make the best leader. A col- 
lege or university education is cheap at 
almost any price, save that of health and 
godliness. There is great danger, even 
in our best schools, of the student's be- 
coming all head and no heart. A minis- 
ter of the gospel informed me not long 



Tlie Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 77 



since that it took him five years to regain 
the spirituality he lost while taking a 
course in a theological seminary! The 
student should carefully guard himself at 
this point. He may be losing power in- 
stead of gaining it. His heart, if not his 
head, may be parting with its locks of 
strength. Sit much! at the feet of Him 
who "spake as never man spake. " This 
is the only absolute preventive of osteo 
sarcoma — whatever that is— which often 
accompanies heart failure and loss of 
power. 

A liberal education, contrary to popu- 
lar opinion in some parts of the world 
to-day, includes a knowledge of the Bible, 
and, without a doubt, should be included 
in the leader's general preparation. He 
should know what God has said in his 
Word, first of all, for his own good, and 
in the second place, that he may tell 
others. Occasional apt, correct quota- 
tions of portions of God's Word during 
the progress of the meeting by the leader 
are indeed "like apples of gold in pic- 
tures of silver" Prov. 25: 11. But how 



78 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

can the leader do this if he is ignorant of 
the Word of God? 

Some person asks to have sung, " Hove 
to tell the story." The effect is excellent 
if, before it is sung, the leader quotes, 
" Jesus, knowing that his hour was come 
that he should depart out of this world 
unto the Father, having loved his own 
which were in the world, he loved them 
unto the end." John 13: 1. "Almost 
persuaded" is sung, after which, or be- 
tween the singing of the stanzas the lead- 
er repeats, "And after certain days, when 
Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which 
was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard 
him concerning the faith in Christ. And 
as he reasoned of righteousness, temper- 
ance, and judgment to come, Felix trem- 
bled, and answered, Go thy way for this 
time; when I have a convenient season I 
will call for thee " (Acts 24: 24, 25), and 
adds, in a sentence or two, that it is 
extremely hazardous to delay becoming a 
Christian. 

Often a prayer, quotation, song or re- 
mark by another may be beautifully sup- 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 79 

plemented by the leader with a short 
quotation of Scripture. The whole Bible 
should be constantly studied, and much 
of it committed to memory. Make it a 
point to read not less than two chapters 
every day, and to memorize at least two 
verses. By doing this the leader will al- 
ways have something appropriate to say at 
all stages and in all conditions of the 
meeting. 

Cultivate piety a^a part of your general 
preparation. Not a sickly, sentimental 
something, or more aptly nothing, but a 
true, heroic faith in God, and a 6i zealous 
devotion to his service. ?? Study God 
everywhere, not only in the Bible, but in 
nature, and in his acts and dealings with 
mankind. See in nature as well as in 
revelation (John 3: 16, 17) that God is a 
loving Father; that he has invariably 
dealt with us more graciously than we 
have dealt with ourselves and with each 
other, and much better than we have 
deserved. Under every circumstance 
there should be a loving, confiding trust 
in God. Do not for a moment counte- 



80 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

nance the idea, made prominent in some 
ancient theology, that God is merciless 
and vindictive. Neither let there be any 
latent infidelity in the heart. Love God 
supremely. 

Be ever prayerful. Paul's advice to 
the Christians at Thessalonica was to 
"pray without ceasing." Our Master 
spent much time in prayer, and so should 
we. The thought is beautifully expressed 
by James Montgomery : 

' 'Prayer is the Christian's vital breath. 
The Christian ' s native air ; 
His watchword at the gate of death, 
He enters heaven with prayer. ' ' 

Private devotions are too often neglect- 
ed altogether, or passed lightly and 
hastily over. " Enter thy closet and 
pray " is a commandment as binding upon 
the disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ as 
to " repent and be baptized " is upon the 
alien sinner. 

He prays in public most acceptably to 
God, and most to the edification of those 
who hear him, who prays oftenest strictly 
in private. 



The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 81 

Cease not to cultivate all of the Chris- 
tian virtues and graces, if you would 
make your general preparation as a leader 
of young people's prayer-meetings thor- 
ough and complete. These are iron for 
the blood, phosphates for the brain, a 
tonic for the whole system. Rom. 12, 1 
Cor. 13 and 1 Pet. 1 : 1-11 are pure gold. 
Study them carefully and practice in 
your daily life the duties there enjoined, 
then, when you are called upon to lead 
the meeting, you will have confidence in 
yourself, and better still, others will have 
confidence in you, and will feel, however 
you may feel about it, that you led the 
meeting well, and that is the important 
thing. Strive to be helpful to others. 
Endeavor to lead every one to the foun- 
tain from which you draw your own in- 
spiration. Try to increase your stock of 
knowledge and goodness day by day. 
Allow no opportunity to go by unim- 
proved. 

Dr. Beecher once preached a very ex- 
cellent sermon to the students of An- 
dover, and they asked him how long it 



82 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

took him to prepare it. He replied, in 
his peculiar way, " Twenty years." It 
was the outgrowth of his twenty years of 
experience, study and practice as a 
preacher of the gospel. Like this should 
be the leader's general preparation to 
conduct a young people's prayer-meeting. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

THE LEADER'S SPECIAL PREPARATION. 

\\T hat preparation should I make to 
* v lead the prayer-meeting? How 
shall I have others assist in making the 
meeting interesting? What am I to do 
as leader?'' These questions come with 
peculiar force to the person who has been 
selected for the first time to conduct a 
young people's prayer-meeting, but sat- 
isfactory answers do not so readily fol- 
low. 

The most that can be done to assist 
the leader in his preparation is to sug- 
gest. He must decide for himself what 
is best. Not to have some decision and 
some sense of propriety is for him to 
lose his individuality and become purely 
mechanical in all he says and does. He 
only acts as he is acted upon. He is at 
best an imitator, not a leader, and the 

meeting throughout is cold and formal 
(83) 



84 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting, 

because there is no originality, no person 
with "a mind of his own, " in charge of 
it. 

The leader, of course, will have the 
help of the Music and Prayer-meeting 
Committees in making his special prep- 
aration, but there are still many things 
he must do for himself. Among these 
may be mentioned, a careful study of the 
subject of the meeting and the Scripture 
texts. The topic should be considered 
from two standpoints. Decide first what 
you will say upon the subject, and then 
what you will assign to others. Consider 
the subject with reference to its divi- 
sions, with a view to getting others to 
take part in the meeting. Make as many 
divisions as the topic, number of partici- 
pants, and interest of the meeting will, 
in your judgment, justify. Assign one 
of these divisions to yourself, and the 
others, after consulting with the Prayer- 
meeting Committee, to persons who are 
qualified and will promise to give them 
consideration during the meeting in a 
few well-chosen words. Give them 



The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 85 

ample time, say a week or more, for 
preparation. Impress upon all who may 
need it, that you do not want an address, 
but just a few short, crisp sentences— 
"nuggets of gold." 

Sometime during the previous week, 
or earlier, if they cannot be seen person- 
ally, a note similar to the following may 
be sent by mail, or in some other way, 
to all who are expected to take part in 
the meeting in the manner indicated: 

Dear Friend : 

I have been appointed by the Prayer- meeting 
Committee to lead our young people's meeting 
Sunday evening, May 27th. The subject, as 
you know, is ' 'The Greatness of Love. ' ' Will 
you, in the early part of the meeting, give the 
best definition you can of love? Also the aptest 
illustration of its greatness? These, of course, 
you will get from the Bible. 

Yours for Christ 

Mae Wheeler. 

May 17. 

The work of notifying those who have 
been selected to take some special part 
in the meeting should be divided between 
the leader and the members of the 



86 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

Prayer-meeting Committee. If the notice 
is sent out by the Prayer-meeting Com- 
mittee, it might read somewhat as fol- 
lows: 

Dear Fellow -Worker: 

' ' The Greatness of Love ' ' is the topic , as yon 
already know, of the young people's prayer - 
meeting one week from next Sunday evening. 
Please come prepared to take part by briefly con- 
trasting love with faith in order to show the 
greatness of love. Be one of the first to take part 
in the meeting. Yonrs in C. E. , 

The Prayer -meeting Committee. 

May 17. 

The leader should consider the arrange- 
ment of a program or order of service 
for the meeting a part of his special 
preparation. This should be done at a 
joint meeting of the Music and Prayer- 
meeting Committees with the leader, 
or at the <r leaders' conference." This 
is an important matter, and should not 
be overlooked. No one thing is more 
certain to result in failure and chagrin 
to the leader, and disappointment to 
others, than to neglect to have an ap- 
propriate and definite order of exercises 



The Young Peoples Prayer -Meeting. 87 

for the meeting outlined. It is to the 
leader what a general's plan, or lack of 
apian, is to the campaign. 

The program should be arranged and 
reduced to writing at least one week 
before the time for the meeting. It is 
not to be slavishly followed, to be sure, 
but it gives the leader confidence, and if 
properly and thoughtfully prepared keeps 
the meeting out of the " ruts." One of 
its purposes is to prevent monotony and 
routine. 

It should not be forgotten in preparing 
the order of exercises that the meeting 
is to be a prayer-meeting. Be sure to 
remember that and plan accordingly. 
The prayer-meeting is not a musicale or 
social, though both music and sociability 
are very appropriate and helpful ad- 
juncts. Let the leader see that the 
prayer-meeting in name is a prayer- 
meeting in fact. 

The selection of an appropriate Scrip- 
ture lesson is one of the special duties of 
the leader. The lesson should be short 
and should bear directly on the subject 



88 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

of the meeting, and after its selection 
the leader ought to thoroughly familiar- 
ize himself with it. He should study it 
word by word and sentence by sentence 
until he fully understands it; and he 
should read it and re-read it till he can 
perfectly convey the meaning of the 
author. A bungling, stammering at- 
tempt at reading God's Word is absolute- 
ly inexcusable, even in a person whose 
ability to read is quite limited. Better 
read but one sentence and do it well 
than to attempt more and make a botch 
of it. Pronounce every word correctly 
and plainly. Many persons would be 
surprised if they looked up the proper 
pronunciation of such familiar Bible 
names as Gethsemane, Puteoli, Belial, 
Salome, Athens, Gennesaret, Diana, 
Gerizim, Naaman, Aquila, and many 
others. The leader should consult the 
dictionary on every word in the lesson 
that he is in the least doubt as to its 
correct pronunciation. And he should 
ascertain, to the best of his ability, by 
consulting standard commentaries and 



The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 89 

the Bible, especially the later, for the 
Bible is its own best commentary, what 
meaning the author attaches to every 
word and sentence of the lesson he has 
selected. 

" The Levites caused the people to 
understand the law: and the people 
stood in their place. So they read in 
the book in the law of God distinctly, 
and gave the sense, and caused them to 
understand the reading." Neh. 8: 7, 8. 

The selection of appropriate Scripture 
texts, to be read by the timid ones and 
associate members, is a part of the lead- 
er's special preparation. This will re- 
quire time, and the more that is given to 
it the better. " Search the Scriptures." 
Let the selections be made as far as 
possible both with reference to the sub- 
ject and to the persons who are to read 
them. The associate members may be 
brought to Christ by a wise selection of 
Scripture texts for them to read, follow- 
ed by an apt remark by the leader, in- 
directly, making an application of the 
passage read. To illustrate : 



90 The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 

The subject is "The Love of God." 
An associate member is given John 3: 16, 
17 to read. When he has finished the 
leader says, "If God so loved us, ought 
we not reciprocate that love, and ap- 
propriate the salvation he offers? Surely 
this is not too much for him to expect 
of us." 

Do not have too many Scripture refer- 
ences, especially of your own selection. 
Better stimulate the study of the Bible 
in others. Endeavor to do this. When 
preparing to lead the meeting such re- 
quests as the following may be made : 

"Which one of the Savior's parables do you 
think is the best illustration of 'The Love of 
God' — the subject of our meeting for next Sun- 
day? Please answer at the meeting. ' ' 

c ' What does Paul say in his Roman letter 
about God commending his love toward us? 
Please find the text and read it at our meet- 
ing next Sunday evening. ' ' 

■ ' What two verses in the first chapter of 
James make known to us the wonderful love of 
God? Read them, please, at our next young 
people ' s meeting. ' ' 

"What does John say, in the fourth chapter 
of his first epistle, God did for us because he 



The Young People's Prayer- Meeting, 91 

loved us, and what does he say, in the following 
verse, we should do on that account for each 
other? Please read the two verses indicated at 
the young people ' s meeting next Sunday. ' ■ 

The Scripture texts that the leader 
selects should be neatly and plainly writ- 
ten or printed on slips of white paper 
and handed to those who are to read 
them either before the meeting begins or 
soon after, and if after the meeting be- 
gins, preferably during the singing of a 
hymn. The leader can leave her station 
while the audience is singing and go 
quietly to those for whom the references 
are intended and give them to those who 
will promise to read them. See that 
each one given a reference has a Bible. 

The selection of other appropriate 
quotations belongs, at least in part, to 
the leader when preparing to lead the 
meeting. These may be both prose and 
poetry. Gems of thought, wise maxims, 
couplets or stanzas of poetry, and terse 
sentences, all bearing more or less di- 
rectly on the subject of the meeting, 
should be selected. They may be clipped 



92 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

from newspapers and periodicals or cop- 
ied from books. The help of others 
might be enlisted in making these selec- 
tions. Try to have something for all 
to do out of the meeting as well as in it 
to add to the interest. 

The leader should pray often and es- 
pecially just before opening the meeting. 
This is a very essential part of his special 
preparation. It is a part :that | cannot 
possibly be delegated to others, not 
even to the Prayer-meeting Committee. 
Secret prayer has a wonderfully trans- 
forming influence. " As he prayed, the 
fashion of his countenance was altered/' 
There is no substitute for secret prayer. 
It gives strength and courage to the 
timid. 

* ' There is no power like secret prayer to make 
The fleshly garments from the^Spirit take 
Its shape and look. ' ' 

" Secrecy in prayer is essential to its 
reality and truth. In the presence of 
others we are influenced more or less 
to say what we are expected to say, or 
think we ought to say, and the intellect 



The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 93 

is concerned with the form of utterance. 
These are proper considerations in public 
prayer, but unless the spirit has had 
real speech with God, spirit with spirit, 
the personal life breathing its living 
thoughts, wants, and actual needs, with 
no one hearing but the Father, prayer 
is likely to be addressed to the hearers, 
and do little good as prayer." 

"Do not leave the selection of hymns 
to the last moment, and then hastily 
turn the pages after you reach the vestry. 
Choose the hymns carefully to fit the 
subject, and pick out the particular 
verses of the hymn that will most help 
the meeting. Earely sing more than two 
verses at a time, and often only one. 
Consult with the organist and chorister. 
If the singing is weak and scattering, 
get the singers to sit together. Get some 
member who can do it to start familiar 
hymns spontaneously, without announce- 
ment." 

This advice by Eev. P. E. Clark, 
should be carefully considered and heed- 
ed by every leader. 



94 The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 

Give due attention to every detail. 
Leave nothing to chance or the " spur of 
the moment.'' To do so is to invite 
failure. Do not be officious, but as far 
as possible see that the "little things" 
are not neglected by others. 

Michael Angelo was one day explain- 
ing to a visitor at his studio what he had 
been doing since his previous visit. Said 
he, " I have been at work on this statue. 
1 have retouched this part, polished that, 
softened this feature, brought out that 
muscle, given some expression to this 
lip, and more energy to that limb." 
"But these are only trifles," remarked the 
visitor." It may be so," replied the sculp- 
tor, "but recollect that trifles make per- 
fection, and that perfection is no trifle." 

Nicholas Poussin, when asked by what 
means he had gained so high a reputation 
among other painters in Italy, replied, 
"Because I have neglected nothing." 

The principle is invariably the same, 
whether applied to a sculptor, an artist, 
or the leader of a young people's prayer- 
meeting. 



CHAPTER IX. 

LEADING THE MEETING. 

T earn to do by doing. " This maxim of 
" Friedrich Froebel, the originator of 
the kindergarten system of child training, 
is quite as applicable, with a little varia- 
tion, to the leading of a young people's 
prayer-meeting as it is to the training of 
children. "Learn to lead by leading." 
This is the better way. It is seldom that 
theory and practice perfectly agree. 
Much may be learned, however, by ob- 
servation and from the experiences of 
others. Do not try any doubtful exper- 
iments, but keep the meeting out of ruts; 
yes, by all means, lead the meeting. 

The leader, with the assistance of the 
Music and Prayer-meeting Committees, 
having previously prepared' an order of 
exercises, should come early and begin 
the meeting on time. To come early is 

to be present at least ten minutes in 

(95) 



96 The Young Peoples Prayer -Meeting. 

advance of the hour the meeting is to 
begin. These ten minutes can be very 
profitably spent in a preparatory prayer- 
meeting in an adjoining room with the 
president of the society and the members 
of the Prayer-meeting Committee. To 
begin on time is not to delay a minute. 
There can be no reasonable excuse for 
waiting. There are almost always some 
who habitually come late, but it is not 
courtesy to them — at least not a courtesy 
they deserve — and especially is it not to 
those who come early, to delay the open- 
ing service until they arrive. They need 
to be spoken to about their tardiness. It 
might do them good to have their atten- 
tion called to Matt. 25: 1-13. Try it. By 
all means begin on time. Tardiness begets 
tardiness, a bad habit, for which, if it 
becomes chronic, it is difficult to find a 
satisfactory remedy. 

As leader of the meeting, be master of 
the situation. Not in a commanding sort 
of way, but by self-control, which is 
everywhere the best generalship. A 
timid, diffident manner is contagious. 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 97 

Guard against it, but do not go to the 
opposite extreme. Be a Christian gen- 
tleman, or lady, in your demeanor. Not 
bold and bombastic in manner, but calm, 
earnest, dignified, Christ-like. Never 
scold. 

Do not say at the beginning of the 
meeting, or at any other time, by way of 
excusing yourself for your lack of prepar- 
ation, that you are not prepared to lead 
the meeting, unless you have absolutely 
had no opportunity to prepare, and then 
you should state the reason why you are 
unprepared. You have no more right to 
attempt to lead a prayer-meeting without 
having made due preparation than a min- 
ister has to preach a purely extempora- 
neous sermon, and perhaps not as much, 
for you have probably not had the ex- 
perience that he has had. If you could 
have made all necessary preparation to 
lead the meeting and did not do so, you 
are perfectly inexcusable, and should not 
" add insult to injury" by saying, " I am 
not prepared," and then continue to 
occupy the position of leader. This 



98 The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 

statement fron\ the leader produces a 
decidedly chilly sensation, and it is more 
than doubtful if there will be any per- 
ceptible reaction from it during the meet- 
ing. If you are not prepared, kindly 
decline in favor of some one who is, or 
who is better qualified to take charge of 
the meeting than you are. Do not bring 
mortification and chagrin to yourself and 
make the meeting " a glorious failure" 
by persisting in the attempt to do a thing 
for which you are not fitted. This is not 
meant to apply to the person who has 
done the best she could to prepare to 
lead, but who feels that " somebody else 
could do so much better." 

Speak briefly and to the point. Re- 
member that a wise man, one who culti- 
vated brevity in speech, has said that " a 
word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in 
pictures of silver." Prov. 25 : 11. Do not 
squeeze the subject dry nor make it into 
pulp at the beginning. Pomace and peel 
are neither appetizing nor nutritious. Do 
not " exhaust " the subject in your open- 
ing speech. Develop but one point in 



The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 99 

the lesson, and do that in as few words as 
possible. Reserve something for an oc- 
casional apt remark, if it may be made 
without seeming to go out of your way, 
during the progress of the meeting. One 
of the best ways to induce others to be 
brief is to be brief yourself in taking 
part. If there are those who will persist 
in "preaching a sermon," the leader 
must kindly remind them that " the time 
is short and there are others who would 
like to take part." If they still go on, 
call for the singing of a familiar hymn- — 
and sing it. 

The leader must not "leave the meet- 
ing in the hands of the society," after the 
opening exercises, so completely that his 
relation to it will cease. Neither should 
he adhere too rigidly to his order of exer- 
cises. The meeting must be somewhat 
flexible in order to be interesting and 
profitable. 

Announce the subject of the meeting in 
your opening remarks. There may be 
persons present who will not know what 
the topic of the meeting is if this is not 



100 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

done. It is "good form" to do so any 
way, even if you know you will not be 
imparting information to any one. 

Bequest, in the beginning, that "verse- 
readers" add a single sentence, if no 
more, thereto. Or that they preface the 
passage with some statement of their 
own. Discourage the reading of long 
selections of Scripture. Two or three 
verses at most are usually quite sufficient. 
The study of the Word of God ought to 
be encouraged, but the best means of 
doing it is not by having the prayer-meet- 
ing turned into a sort of desultory Bible- 
reading, 

Speak distinctly. Talk so every one in 
the room can readily understand every 
word that is spoken. There can be no 
excuse for not doing this. Repeat the 
number of every hymn that may be called 
for during the progress of the meeting, in 
a clear, audible voice. Make any an- 
nouncements in the same way. If repeti- 
tion will emphasize this so it will be put 
into practice, I will say again, " Speak 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 101 

distinctly and loud enough so that all can 
hear." 

Do not say 3 when the time has almost 
arrived to close the meeting, " There are 
ten minutes more, let the time be im- 
proved." After some waiting, in breath- 
less silence, in which moments seem 
hours, a hymn is called for, which ten to 
one is altogether foreign to the subject 
and spirit of the meeting, and it is sung 
to kill time, or a well-meaning brother, in 
a rambling, off-hand address, betrays the 
fact that he is "occupying the time." 
Many an otherwise good meeting has 
been spoiled by this being done. Say 
nothing about how much time there is 
yet. Do not frequently consult your 
watch, and especially in such a way that 
everybody in the room will know that is 
what you are doing. This is as bad as 
to tell the audience outright what time 
it is. Endeavor to make them forget that 
time is passing by the interest you arouse 
in the meeting. 

Close the meeting on time, no differ- 
ence how well it may be progressing, 



102 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

or before the time expires and the 
meeting expires with it. If all seem to 
have taken part who desire to do so, 
close the meeting at once. Nothing will 
be gained by attempting to prolong it. 
You may " fill out the time," but you will 
bring in a feeling of dissatisfaction and 
disappointment. Better close and spend 
the balance of the time socially. Never 
run over the time, no difference how 
much the interest of the meeting may 
seem to demand it. 

Strive to have a wider margin, as lead- 
er of the meeting, than any one else has 
had, by giving due attention to the details 
of the meeting — to the little things — both 
before it begins and while it is in pro- 
gress. 

' 'Little things, aye, little things 
Make up the sum of life. ' ' 

President Garfield once said, in one of 
his speeches to the students of Hiram 
College, "I was thinking, young ladies 
and gentlemen, as I sat here this morn- 
ing, that life is almost wholly made up of 
margins. The bulk itself of almost any 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting, 103 

thing is not what tells. That exists any 
way. That is expected. That is not what 
gives the profit or makes the distinguish- 
ing difference. The grocer cares little 
for the great bulk of the price of "his tea. 
It is the few cents between the cost and 
selling price, which he calls the margin, 
that particularly interests hira. Is this 
to be great or small is the thing of im- 
portance. Millions of dollars change 
hands in our great marts of trade, just on 
the question of margins. This same 
thing is all important in the subject of 
thought. One mind is not greater than 
another, perhaps, in the great bulk of its 
contents, but its margin is greater, that's 
all. I may know just as much as you do 
about the general details of a subject, but 
you can go just a little farther than I can. 
You have a greater margin than I. You 
can tell me of some single thought just 
beyond where I have gone. That is your 
margin. I must succumb to your supe- 
riority." 

This hint, alike applicable to the ambi- 
tious student and the leader of a young 



104 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

people's prayer-meeting, who has for his 
motto, "Excelsior," coming as it does 
from the wise and honored ruler of one 
of the greatest nations on earth, shall be 
the appropriate ending of this chapter. 



CHAPTEK X. 

PREPARING TO TAKE PART. 

IWIuch has been said and written from 
*"* time to time about " those awful 
pauses 5? in the prayer-meeting. The 
leader and the various committees, in 
many societies, have done and are still 
doing all they can to prevent them, but 
have only been partially successful, be- 
cause they have not always had the hearty 
co-operation of the other members, some 
of whom have been negligent, some have 
not thought it necessary for them to make 
any special preparation, while others 
have felt the need of being' prepared but 
have not known how to prepare to take 
part in the meeting with pleasure to 
themselves and profit to others. 

Perhaps the most essential thing is for 
every member to fully realize the import- 
ance of his own thorough preparation. 

It is not difficult for one to see that an- 
(105) 



106 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

other person ought to have been pre- 
pared; that his prayer lacked fervor 
and directness; that his remarks were 
disjointed and rambling; that the text of 
Scripture selected was entirely foreign to 
the subject; and that the hymn an- 
nounced was unfamiliar and otherwise 
unsuited to the subject of the meeting; 
but it is not so easy for one to see his own 
faults, or so common for him to think of 
his own lack of preparation. 

It is important to be 4 prepared to take 
part in the meeting for two reasons es- 
pecially, either of which is quite suffi- 
cient — for the individual's own good, and 
the benefit of others. Every member 
ought to be prepared to take part in the 
meeting, even if he knows he will not 
have an opportunity to do so. Justice to 
himself demands it. He receives more 
help and strength in this way than in any 
other. Then there should be thorough 
preparation for the benefit — not pleasure 
or entertainment — -but benefit and edifica- 
tion of others. It is as essential to pre- 
pare to take part in the meeting as it is 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 107 

to lead it. This is contrary to the pre- 
vailing practice, but it is true notwith- 
standing. 

Study the subject of the meeting. The 
preparation will be insufficient without an 
abundant outlay of intellectual power. 
An old Greek proverb very truly says, 
" The gods sell us everything for labor." 
Look at the subject from every possible 
angle. Take any subject and it may be 
studied from many stand-points. Let us 
suppose the topic is, "The Wisdom of 
God." It is seen in the beautifully com- 
plex nature of man; in the abundant pro- 
vision God has made for his welfare; in 
the harmony and utility of nature; in the 
wonders of revelation; in the history of 
nations and individuals; in special provi- 
dences. 

Or the subject is, "The Results of 
Disobedience." It may be studied in 
one's own experience; in the experiences 
of others; in history, both sacred and 
secular; in the book of nature. 

Study the subject by frequently reflect- 
ing upon it. Turn it over again and 



108 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

again in the mind. Do not be satisfied 
with knowing something about it, but try 
and desire to know it all. It is wonder- 
ful how much an earnest dersire for in- 
formation will enable a person to obtain 
it. Study the subject of the prayer-meet- 
ing by studying everything. Keep your 
eyes and ears and heart open, and you 
will find " tongues in trees, books in the 
running brooks, sermons in stones, and 
good in everything." 

Study the WoH of God, especially the 
texts selected for the meeting. Do not 
be satisfied till you are perfectly sure you 
know the mind of the author, and, if you 
expect to read some passage or text in 
the meeting, not till you are quite certain 
you can convey the sense of the Scripture 
to other minds. 

Alexander Campbell said in one of his 
lectures on the Penteteuch,' that, "Asa 
book for calling forth superior qualities 
of the art of reading, the Bible is worthy 
of all consideration. The importance of 
understanding is not greater than the im- 
portance of properly reading a chapter; 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 109 

and we maintain that it requires more 
and better learning to read a chapter of 
the Bible, as it should be read, than to 
read one of Cicero's orations; and in 
some European colleges the highest de- 
grees of honor are conferred upon the 
best readers. It requires hours of study, 
in many instances, to be able to read one 
verse or chapter in the Bible, so as to 
produce the proper effect, upon the read- 
er and the hearer." 

Have a concordance and a reference 
Bible and compare text with text, author 
with author, prophecy with its fulfillment, 
type with antitype. Remember that the 
best Bible commentary is the Bible itself. 
Take the subject for almost any prayer- 
meeting and you will be surprised how 
clearly it has been stated, how fully ex- 
plained, and how aptly illustrated in 
God's Word if you have never given the 
matter any consideration. 

Memorize at least one verse of Scrip- 
ture, bearing on the subject of the meet- 
ing, to repeat, if "memory verses " are 
called for by the leader, or it seems at 



110 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

any time during the meeting to be the 
proper thing to do. Eev. F. W. Robert- 
son used to have an open Bible before 
him, committing portions of it to mem- 
ory while he was dressing in the morning. 

The study of the prayers to be found 
in the Bible, and an endeavor to under- 
stand the conditions out of which they 
arose as urgent desires to God, will assist 
in prayer, and serve to bring out the re- 
vealed will of God for our guidance 
under the same needs and circumstances. 

The following authentic story well illus- 
trates the effect of Biblical knowledge 
upon prayer, and that, too, where it 
might be least expected : 

"I knew a woman," said Eev. Lewis 
O. Thompson, "who came from the 
South so illiterate she could not talk bet- 
ter than a negro, though a white woman; 
but when she began to pray, after a very 
little her spirit came to her, she seemed 
to drop the mortal part, and she fell into 
the language of the Old Testament. An 
eminent lawyer said of her that he had 
heard all the able men in the west, but he 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. Ill 

had never heard a human being that af- 
fected him as the poor woman did when 
she got into those higher moods, and 
brought to her higher nature the use of 
all that sublime language of the Old Tes- 
tament that seemed to be congenial to 
her human nature." Surely there is no 
prayer-book like the Bible. 

' 'No book is like the Bible, 
For childhood, youth and age ; 
Our duty, plain and simple, 
We find on every page. 

* 'It came by inspiration, 
A light to guide our way, 
A voice from Him who gave it, 
Reproving when we stray. 

' 'No book is like the Bible, 
The blessed book we love ; 
The pilgrim's chart of glory, 
It leads to God above. ' ' 

Talk about the subject of the meeting 
with others. In your efforts to tell what 
you know about it you will have the 
knowledge you attempt to convey to 
others more firmly fixed in your own 
mind. The teacher is taught by teach- 
ing. Paradoxical as it may seem, knowl- 



112 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

edge is retained by giving it away. Be- 
sides you will often receive new ideas 
from those with whom you converse, and 
that too from many that you least expect 
to be able to impart them. 

Write upon the subject. Whatever 
is suggested in glancing over the list of 
topics ought to be written down at once 
for future reference. " Reading maketh 
a full man, conference a ready man, and 
writing an exact man." But if you write, 
it should not be with a view of committing 
it to memory; for this will always keep 
you in bondage, and keep you from ac- 
quiring the larger liberty of extempore 
speech, that is, if you memorize for the 
purpose of reciting. Only write for the 
purpose of preserving and fixing in the 
mind. Good thoughts are very fugitive. 
Note them down before they take their 
departure forever. 

A story is told of Emerson, that he 
once rose at dead of night, lighted a 
candle, and went to his study. Return- 
ing, he replied to his wife's anxious in- 
quiry, " Only an idea, my dear." But 



The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 113 

the idea was gerniinant. A poem, or an 
address, or perhaps a series of letters 
would be needed to unfold and mirror it 
forth. 

An inventor, apparently engaged with 
the sermon his pastor was preaching, 
startled those near him by exclaiming, 
"I've got it!" He arose and left the 
house. What was it he had discovered? 
A machine, or rather the essential fea- 
ture of the machine he had long looked 
for in vain. Without it all combinations 
had proved worthless ; with this his for- 
tune was easily made. 

Prof. Greenleaf once met Arthur T. 
Pierson, and asked him to give him his 
best thought during the twenty-four hours 
previous. He afterward explained that 
he was wont to collect such best thoughts 
and give them to his school of girls. 
A capital suggestion for the prayer-meet- 
ing. Preserve, in writing, your best 
thoughts of it. Believe that anything 
short of the best will not be good enough. 

Gather up illustrations for the meet- 
ing. Let them be short, crisp, pointed 



114 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

and well-suited to the subject of the 
meeting or do not use them. Illustra- 
tions are either "feathers for arrows," 
or " weights without wings," according 
to the wisdom displayed in selecting and 
using them. They are very abundant 
everywhere. They are to be had from 
nature, sermons, lectures, newspapers, 
books, magazines, experience, imagina- 
tion, other people, the Bible. "Truly 
the attentive listener will hear the grass 
grow, and at every step in life find illus- 
trations that will prove feathers to 
guide the arrow of discourse in its flight, 
and barbs to make it stick." Use your 
memory. Train it to keep whatever has 
been intrusted to it. Use the scissors. 
Clip papers and magazines that you do 
not care to keep. Use pencil and paper. 
Copy good illustrations and preserve for 
ready reference. Have a scrap-book, 
properly indexed, in which to keep what 
you clip and write. Bible illustrations 
are the best. Study the word of God, 
and you will always have many apt illus- 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 115 

trations of every subject selected for the 
prayer-meeting. 

Pray. Pray much. "Pray without 
ceasing." Cultivate a spirit of prayer- 
fulness day by day. The principle is 
well established by general consent, as 
well as by divine precept, that every 
Christian ought to pray. The active 
Endeavorer has promised to " pray every 
day." That is right. He is then in line 
with the devout servants of God in all 
ages. " Daniel . . . went into his 
house; and his windows being open in 
his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneel- 
ed upon his knees three times a day, and 
prayed, and gave thanks before his 
God." 

' 'Oh Thou, by whom we come to God, 
The Life, the Truth, the Way; 
The path of prayer thyself hast trod : 
Lord, teach us how to pray 1 ' ' 

Avoid " vain repetitions" in prayer. 
Eschew conventional forms and "ritual- 
istic recitations" when making your 
wants known to God. Be brief in your 
private as well as your public devotions. 



116 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

Thank God always for what he has done 
for yourself and others, and tell him in 
a few sentences what you think you 
need. Do not be a pitiful coniplainer, 
or an incessant beggar. Nothing is more 
despicable after all that God has done 
for you. Be exceedingly grateful for 
all of his mercies. If the way seems 
dark, do not go to God complainingly, 
but say, 

' 'I know not what's before me, 
My way I cannot see , 
But I know that Jesus leads nie, 
And that's enough for rue. 

c * Though friends may all forsake me , 
And earthly comforts flee , 
There ' s one who ' 11 never leave me , 
And that's enough for me. 

' 'Though fall the tears of sorrow, 
Let grief my portion be, 
I've Jesus ever with me, 
That's joy enough for me.' ' 

Yes, by all means, in preparing to take 
part in a young people's prayer-meeting, 
pray. Do not "say your prayers," but 
pray. 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 117 

Overcome timidity, if possible, but if 
not possible, do your duty regardless of 
it. But two things are necessary — have 
something to say, and say it. Do the 
best you can in both of these things this 
time and you can do better next time, 
both in preparing something to say and 
in saying it. 

It may be encouraging to know that 
the most experienced speakers often 
suffer from audience fright. Cicero has 
said of himself, that " he grew pale at 
the beginning of a speech, and felt a 
tremor in every part of his frame." "I 
am an old man," said Luther, "and 
have been a long time occupied in preach- 
ing, but I never ascend the pulpit with- 
out a tremor." Tierney, the great par- 
liamentarian, used to say that he never 
rose in the House of Commons without 
feeling his knees tremble under him. It 
is related of Livingstone, the great Afri- 
can explorer, that the first time he tried 
to preach for a minister who was sick, 
he could not say a word after reading his 
text, and that he took his hat and went 



118 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

away, leaving the service unfinished. 
An evangelist of almost national reputa- 
tion said to me recently at the close of 
a Thanksgiving service, where, by invita- 
tion, he had preached the sermon, " I 
trembled like an aspen leaf." 

Scores more of illustrations could be 
given showing that timidity and embar- 
rassment are not confined to those w T ho 
take part in young people's prayer-meet- 
ings. Make as thorough preparation as 
possible, then summon all your will- 
power and " launch out into the deep." 
There is no other way. "England ex- 
pects every man to do his duty." As 
was said in the prayer-meeting confer- 
ence during the International C. E. 
Convention held at Philadelphia in '89, 
"Be willing to break down for Christ." 
Determine, as a part of your preparation, 
that you will do your whole duty "for 
Christ and the Church," and do it. 

Prepare to do, as well as you can, 
whatever you have been asked to do by 
the leader or any member of either of the 
committees. Christian courtesy requires' 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting, 119 

it of you. Something else may suit you 
better, but if the leader has desired you 
to take part in a certain way, cheerfully 
comply with the request. Do not neg- 
lect or refuse to take part in the manner 
indicated. Be quick to promise and 
quicker to perform what you have prom- 
ised. And even when a formal promise 
has not been made, the request is quite 
as binding. I have known members to 
completely ignore the request to answer 
a simple question bearing on the subject 
of the meeting. This is not right, and 
of course ought not to be. If this has 
ever happened in your case, please do 
not allow it to occur again. 



CHAPTEE XL 

TAKING PART. 

HPhe first essential in taking part in a 
* young people's prayer-meeting is to 
concentrate the mind on the purpose of 
the meeting— to strive to appreciate the 
fact that you are not present to entertain 
others or that you may be entertained, 
but for the purpose of worshiping God 
and thus edifying yourself and others. 
Thoughtlessness too often characterizes 
religious assemblies of all kinds. Proper 
attention to the object of the meeting 
can and should be given before the meet- 
ing begins — actual part-taking— by get- 
ting one's self in touch and sympathy with 
the subject and spirit of the meeting, and 
into vital communion with God. With- 
out this, participation will be cold, for- . 
mal and lifeless, and of course void of 
any good results. There must be the 

glow and warmth of spirituality origin- 
(120) 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 121 

ated and fostered by an intimate, gracious 
knowledge of God. This may be secured 
by a thoughtful contemplation of God, 
and a prayerful study of his Word. Rush 
not into the presence of the Almighty, in 
the public assembly of worshipers, un- 
prepared by meditation. No person 
would think for a moment of presenting 
himself in the presence of an earthly, 
sovereign in this manner, and why should 
the Supreme Ruler of the universe be 
approached with such inexcusable rash- 
ness? The individual whose mind is dis- 
tracted, or filled with pleasure, or en- 
grossed with business can not worship 
God acceptably. " The true worshipers 
shall worship the Father in spirit and in 
truth: for the Father seeketh such to 
worship him." John 4: 23. The con- 
stant aspiration should be, " Nearer, my 
God, to thee." Let the meditation and 
assurance of the heart, as well as the 
song of peace and gladness be, 

* 'I know I love thee better Lord, 
Than any earthly joy, 
For thou hast given me a peace, 
Which nothing can destroy. ' ' 



122 The Young Peoples Prayer -Meeting. 

Until this is characteristic of the per- 
son, either in desire or reality, he is not 
in a proper condition of mind and heart 
to take part in the meeting to the best ad- 
vantage. " Let the peace of God rule in 
your hearts." » 

There are two commendable ways of 
taking part in a prayer-meeting — silently 
and audibly — and one is the complement 
of the other. A person is better quali- 
fied to participate audibly who has lifted 
his heart to God in silent prayer. Care 
should be taken, however, not to make a 
show of the fact that you are engaged in 
secret devotion. To make any such dis- 
play or demonstration is Phariseeism and 
an abomination in the sight of others and 
of God. Do not advertise in any way 
that you are "saying your prayers," or 
that you are about to say them. 

When the interest of the meeting will 
justify, it is exceedingly helpful to have 
the entire audience engage in silent 
prayer. No infallible rule can be given 
for judging of the proper condition, but 
it is safe to say that if the spiritual at- 



The Young Peoples Prayer -Meeting. 123 

mosphere is not favorable it is more like- 
ly to be an injury than otherwise. It may 
easily be overdone, and I am sure often is 
carried to a hurtful extreme. Tact and 
wisdom are needed by the leader in noth- 
ing so much as in knowing when, how 
often, for what purpose, and for what 
length of time to request the audience to 
unite in silent prayer. But whenever the 
request is made, it should be promptly 
heeded by all. Every praying member 
should pray. 

In taking part audibly, this word — audi- 
bly — should have its full meaning, i. e., 
"ina manner to be heard." There can 
be no sufficient excuse for not doing so. 
A person may be timid or embarrassed, 
but even then he can speak loud enough 
to be heard by all in any ordinary room. 
The individual who has this fault should 
by all means overcome it, I mean the 
fault of habitually speaking in an under- 
tone. 

Then the opposite extreme, the loud, 
sophomoric, declamatory style, so pecu- 
liar to some, is equally if not more objec- 



124 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

tionable. This " national holiday style 
of oratory" is quite out of place in a 
young people's prayer-meeting, whatever 
may be said of it elsewhere. If you can, 
be perfectly natural and speak in a nat- 
ural tone of voice. The "holy tone," 
the whining manner, the inflated style are 
all out of order. Be yourself. Have 
something to say, and say it in the most 
natural way possible, which is the best. 
Cultivate an ordinary conversational tone 
and manner. Do not try to " make a 
speech/' but just tell what you have to 
say, and leave the speech-making for 
" the other fellow." 

Be brief in taking part. Spurgeon 
said, " I never like to hear one of my 
people pray for half an hour and con- 
clude by asking the Lord to forgive our 
shortcomings." If there are sixty per- 
sons present who ought to take part in 
the meeting each individual is only en- 
titled to one-sixtieth of the time at most, 
including the time spent in singing and 
responsive reading. When this is real- 
ized no one will appropriate that which 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting, 125 

does not belong to him, until others have 
had an opportunity to do their duty. If 
they fail in this, and you can avoid creat- 
ing the impression that yon are " talking 
to kill time," you can with perfect pro- 
priety occupy more time than your equal 
share. Probably the best way to proceed 
is to take part early in the meeting by oc- 
cupying no more than your proportion of 
the time, and afterwards, if the meeting 
drags, briefly take part again. 

Do not try to present more than one 
thought in your remarks, and let your 
prayer be short and to the point. Ask 
God for something and without "vain 
repetitions," and express your thankful- 
ness without verbosity. 

Do not take part in the same way in 
every meeting. This for your own good, 
as well as the edification of others. 
There is danger of one's using the same 
phraseology unconsciously to himself, but 
painfully apparent to those who hear him 
from time to time. This habit can be 
broken up by careful attention and by 
varying the manner of participation. If 



126 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

you lead in prayer at one meeting, at sub- 
sequent meetings read a text of Scripture 
and comment briefly upon it; recite an 
appropriate stanza or two of poetry; an- 
swer a question that comes naturally out 
of the subject of the meeting; sing a 
solo, if God has given you the ability to 
do so; read a short, apt selection from 
some author; quote a suitable passage of 
Scripture; point out a lesson in the por- 
tion of God's Word read by the leader at 
the beginning of the meeting; call atten- 
tion to a truth in some quotation or re- 
mark made by another; or prepare and 
read a short paper. Be eclectic. Say 
what you think will be most helpf ul each 
time. 

Take the part assigned you by the 
leader or Program Committee. Not to 
do this is, to say the least, discourteous 
to them. They have a perfect right to ex- 
pect you to keep your promise, made in 
fact or implied by your being a member 
of the society, and one is iust as binding 
as the other. This is said for those who 
seem to think themselves " privileged 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 127 

characters," and who will not respond 
unless the request is in perfect harmony 
with their wishes, whims or caprices, as 
the case may be. If no request has been 
made, then, of course, take the part that 
in your judgment will be best for the in- 
terest of the meeting. 

In participating in the meeting do not 
tell how you feel. Feeling is deceptive. 
Jacob felt quite certain that Joseph was 
dead, Gen. 37: 32-35, but he was mistak- 
en. It is not uncommon to hear persons 
say, "I feel that I'm a Christian," or "I 
feel that I'm a child of God." If such 
persons really mean what their language 
indicates— -if their only assurance of sal- 
vation is feeling — then they must be in a 
very unsatisfactory condition of mind and 
heart. If they have better evidence of 
pardon than feeling, then they are making 
a very unhappy choice of words, to say 
the least, to give expression of their con- 
dition by repeatedly telling how they feel. 
Their testimony is practically worthless. 
The world does not care how a Christian 
feels. Such evidence would not be taken 



128 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

in any court of law in the land in the 
most trivial case. How any person feels 
is of no value as evidence. 

Paul does not remind the Christians at 
Rome of how they felt, when he says, 
"Know ye not, that to whom ye yield 
yourselves servants to obey, his servants 
ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin 
unto death, or of obedience unto right- 
eousness? But God be thanked, that ye 
were the servants of sin, but ye have 
obeyed from the heart that form of doc- 
trine which was delivered you. Being 
then made free from sin, ye became the 
servants of righteousness." Rom. 6: 16, 
17. 

When the leader calls for sentence- 
prayers, there should be a prompt re- 
sponse on the part of every member, and 
that too with the meaning of the request 
carefully heeded. I have often been 
present at young people's meetings when 
the leader has asked for sentence-prayers, 
when his wish has been utterly disre- 
garded. Long, rambling, wordy medleys 
of phrases, clauses and sentences — all 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 129 

commonplace and often the merest plati- 
tudes — have been uttered in response! 
A sentence-prayer is a prayer in one sen- 
tence, and Webster defines sentence as, 
" a combination of words, complete as 
expressing a thought." 

If the request of the leader is for sen- 
tence-prayers touching some one thing, it 
would be very inconsistent to pray for 
something different at that time. If the 
Sunday-school is made a subject of prayer 
do not ask God to "bless the Kurds of 
Siberia or the natives of Patagonia." 

An excellent plan is for one sentence- 
prayer to supplement the one immediate- 
ly preceding it. As an illustration, sen- 
tence prayers might be offered by differ- 
ent persons, for the society, somewhat as 
follows : 

- * ' Dear Father in heaven, bless the members 
of this society — Give grace and wisdom to us all, 
that we may ever walk uprightly before thee — 
Qualify us for greater usefulness in thy service — 
Help us to be very diligent in the discharge of our 
Several duties — Make us to realize the need and 
the blessedness of being soul -winners — May the 
spirit of Christ our Savior be pre -eminently ours — 



130 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

Give us in great abundance of thy Holy Spirit, 
and let a double portion rest upon our president — 
Bless all the officers and the members of the va- 
rious committees — Let thy benediction rest upon 
the absent members — Give all who are tempted 
sufficient strength to withstand the temptation — 
May the promises of thy Word be a source of 
comfort to those who are afflicted — May we ever 
be thankful for the blessing of health — And for 
the many other blessings thou art continually be- 
stowing upon us. — Amen. ' ' 

Take part in the meeting by showing 
that you are interested. Be attentive 
and appreciative of others. Do not be 
turning the leaves of the hymn-book or 
writing on the margins of the leaves or 
elsewhere, or in any other way detract 
from the interest of the meeting by not 
being an attentive listener. Blessed are 
they who take part in a young people's 
prayer-meeting, or in any other worship 
ing assembly, by being appreciative audi- 
tors ! 



CHAPTER XII. 

THE CONSECRATION MEETING. 

Tt would be difficult to place too much 
* emphasis on the importance of the 
monthly consecration meeting. It is the 
thermometer of the society, and should 
always indicate "summer heat," which 
is the normal temperature. 

A cold prayer-meeting is conceded to 
be one of the most unpleasant and unin- 
viting places in the world, but even worse 
than a cold prayer-meeting is a lifeless, 
formal consecration meeting, where every 
thing is said and done in a listless, in- 
different manner. Spirituality and con- 
secration cannot exist in such an atmos- 
phere. A tropical plant will soon perish 
if transplanted into a frigid climate. 

The importance of the consecration 
meeting is quite generally recognized, I 
am glad to say, but it ought to be uni- 
versally so. No young Christian should 
(131) 



132 The Young People's Prayer- Meeting, 

allow a meeting to pass without re-conse- 
crating himself to God. A vessel may 
easily drift out of the harbor, but it can 
only be brought into it again by a proper 
effort. It will never drift back. Just so 
it is with the Christian. Business, or 
pleasure, or study, or something else may 
so engross the attention that the individ- 
ual does not realize that he is drifting out 
to sea. The consecration meeting gives 
him an opportunity to take his bearing; 
to ascertain his latitude and longitude; 
and to determine the position of his spir- 
itual craft — the distance and direction — 
from the harbor. 

It is profitable to all to frequently sit 
at the feet of the past, and to repeat 
again the lessons taught us by experience. 
It is needless to say that this should not 
be done with morbid and undue self -in- 
trospection. There is less danger of this, 
however, than of its being wholly neglect- 
ed. The tendency of young people is to 
anticipate the future to the partial or 
complete neglect of the past. It is not 
as pleasant to review the mistakes and 



The Young People's Prayer- Meeting, 133 

shortcomings of the past, and profit by 
them, as it is to preview the glories and 
excellencies of the future ; hence the les- 
sons of "the days that are no more " are 
neglected. 

When Moses was addressing the chil- 
dren of Israel for the last time, just be- 
fore his final separation from them, his 
advice was that they " ask of the days 
that are past, which were before thee," 
Deut. 4: 32, and his audience, with the 
exception of the two old men, Caleb and 
Joshua, was composed entirely of young 
people. Num. 26: 63-65; Deut. 2: 14, 15. 

It is the custom in most societies to 
make the last regular prayer-meeting in 
the month a consecration or experience 
meeting, and to call the roll of members. 
"The responses of the active members 
who are present shall be considered as a 
renewed expression of allegiance to 
Christ." So says the " model constitu- 
tion," which has been adopted by nearly 
all societies. 

The distinguishing and peculiar feature 
of the consecration meeting, or rather, 



134 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

one of the peculiar features, is the roll- 
call. It has its advantages, and probably 
some disadvantages, over the ordinary 
prayer-meeting. Among the former are, 
first, the recognition of the individual, 
which is of no little importance to him, 
especially in large societies where he is in 
constant danger of only being recognized 
in a general, wholesale way; secondly, 
the sense of obligation to himself, to 
others, to God, that it brings to the per- 
son whose name is called; thirdly, it im- 
presses the importance and necessity of 
knowing whether his name is recorded in 
the " Lamb's book of life," and if he has 
the assurance that it is there written, then 
the joy of such blessed knowledge; and 
fourthly, the information it gives, in a 
very quiet but practical way, to the Look- 
out and Prayer-meeting Committees. 

Sometimes it is objected that once a 
month is too often to have a consecration 
meeting, but really this objection is with- 
out support. Every prayer-meeting ought 
to be a consecration meeting, and in fact 
re-consecration ought to be characteristic 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 135 

of every day we live. A repetition of the 
vows we have made to Christ cannot too 
often occur. 

This objection may have originated in 
the idea, somewhat prevalent, that the 
consecration of one's self to God is a terri- 
ble ordeal through which to pass, though 
it is much more likely to be on account 
of the thoughtless, slip-shod manner in 
which so many say, "I reconsecrate my- 
self." Webster defines consecration as 
" the act or ceremony of separating from 
a common to a sacred use, or of devoting 
and dedicating a person or thing to the 
service of God." For a person to dedi- 
cate himself to the service of God ought 
to be recognized as an important and 
pleasant duty. There is nothing terrible 
and awful about it, neither is it a light 
and frivolous matter. 

The consecration meeting, probably 
more than any other, is in danger of be- 
coming stereotyped, owing to the calling 
of the roll, which tends, on account of 
the way in which it is so often done, to 
give it a set form. The same order is 



136 TJie Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

followed at each meeting, and besides 
there seems to be a lack of flexibility; 
hence the consecration meeting is some- 
times only another name for humdrum 
and monotony, and all seem glad when it 
is over, and that it will not occur again 
for a month. This ought not to be so. 
The consecration meeting should really, 
if any difference, be the best meeting of 
the whole month, and it is very possible 
to make it such. 

To do this, vary the order and exercises 
of the meeting. This is the first essential 
thing to do. An order that is not as good 
as the one you have been following is 
better, for a change, than to continue 
with the old one indefinitely. Care must 
be taken to prevent the meeting being 
monotonous. By all means, and any 
means, keep it out of ruts. 

Not only change the order of the meet- 
ing from time to time, but let each mem- 
ber study variety in the manner of re- 
sponding to the roll-call. To be sure 
every one must utter the desire and pur- 
pose of his heart in whatever way he 



TJie Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 137 

responds. Perfect honesty should char- 
acterize every word that is spoken. The 
consecration 'meeting is a suitable time 
for self-examination as well as dedication 
of one's self to God, and should have both 
for its object. 

A person responds, when his name is 
called, by saying, "I reconsecrate my&elf 
to God." Before any such statement is 
made by any individual he ought to be 
perfectly sure that he has ever really con- 
secrated himself to God in the fullest and 
truest sense. Again let me say that the 
strictest self-examination should be pecu- 
liarly characteristic of every consecration 
meeting. " Absolute honesty and sincer- 
ity are the qualities to be encouraged and 
insisted upon." 

Consider your special fitness to do some 
one thing, and at the roll-call speak of it 
briefly and modestly, and consecrate 
yourself to that particular work. It may 
be that you have the ability to sing the 
gospel as many others cannot; the pecu- 
liar fitness to do house to house canvass- 
ing in the interest of the church or 



138 The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 

Sunday-school; the talent to assist in the 
Junior work; the qualifications to teach 
in the Sunday-school; the gift, for it is a 
gift from God, to make money honestly 
and rapidly; or the faculty of doing per- 
sonal, face to face work for the Master. 
Study yourself, and whatever God-given 
talent you discover, consecrate it to 
66 Christ and the Church." 
* Think of the duties you owe to your- 
self, and consecrate yourself to their 
performance. Among these there is the 
duty of studying God's Word daily; of 
constantly cultivating the spirit of thank- 
fulness ; of developing the nobler, faculties 
of the mind; of resisting temptation; and 
of striving to grow into the likeness and 
image of Christ. 

Realize the needs of others and the 
obligations you are under to them, and 
consecrate yourself accordingly. It may 
be to minister to the poor; send the gos- 
pel to the heathen; comfort the afflicted 
encourage your pastor; visit strangers; or 
co-operate with others in making the 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 139 

prayer-meetings more interesting and 
profitable. 

Consecration to the performance of one 
duty does not release a person from his 
obligation to perform others if he can do 
so. At most it only gives one duty the 
preference over others for the simple 
reason that more good may be accom- 
plished for the individual in that way. 
Because I minister to the poor and needy 
as my special work, I am under no less 
obligation to the heathen; and if I have 
consecrated myself as a foreign mission- 
ary, I have not thereby released myself 
from my duties to my pastor, if I have 
one. It is just as necessary for me to 
support him in every way I can as 
before. If I am an active member of 
the society, I am under the same obliga- 
tion to be loyal to my own church as I 
was before I signed the pledge. No, 
because a person is consecrated or pledged 
to do a certain duty, his obligation to 
perform all other duties is not thereby 
terminated or lessened. 

The members may not only consecrate 



140 The Young People's Prayer- Meeting . 

themselves individually, in some such 
manner as indicated, but they may, in 
addition thereto, consecrate themselves 
to some special work collectively. This 
tends to bring about concerted action, 
which is often very necessary to success. 
It is apparent that the mid-week prayer- 
meeting is not as well attended and help- 
ful as it might be ; that the young people's 
meeting is lacking in interest; that the 
Sunday evening service is not as good as 
it can be made; or that the pastor de- 
serves a more general and hearty sup- 
port of the members of the church than 
he is receiving. The leader or president 
selects some one of these, and, after 
impressing upon the minds of all the 
obligation that rests upon each individual 
to make it a success, asks all who will 
consecrate themselves to assist in making 
it a success to indicate such consecration 
by rising. Do not call for this general 
consecration at every meeting, but con- 
centrate the whole effort in the perform- 
ance of the one thing selected, and make 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 141 

it a success before the attention and effort 
are diverted to anything else. 

More specific directions for each con- 
secration meeting will be found in the 
next succeeding chapter, but remember, 
as Rev. F. E. Clark has well said, that 
"the method of the meeting is of com- 
paratively little importance. The princi- 
ple of the meeting is of great importance 
— a definite and specific season for the 
review of the past, and for recommitment 
to Christ for the future." 



CHAPTER XIII. 

SUGGESTIVE ORDERS OF EXERCISES. 

(For The Consecration Meeting). 

Order of Exercises, No. 1. 

1. Singing of appropriate hymns. All stand- 
ing. 

2. Prayer by the president or pastor. 

3. Reading of suitable Scripture lesson by 
the leader. Psa. 119: 1-12 ; Luke 9:57-62 ; 1 Cor. 
12:12-27; Phil. 3:7-16; 1 Tim. 4:1-8; Heb. 
6:1-9 are all appropriate. 

4. Prayer by the chairman of the Prayer - 
meeting Committee. 

5. Consecration hymn, "I am thine, O 
Lord. ' ' 

6. Short talk on the meeting and method of 
consecration, by the leader. 

7. Roll-call by the secretary. One name at 
a time. Responses from the members, inter- 
spersed with apt remarks by the leader, and an 
occasional verse of song. Play neither prelude 
nor interlude, and it is preferable not to use the 
organ at all if the hymns can be sung well with- 
out it. 

8. Announcements. 

(142) 



The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 143 

9. Song, "The Endeavor Band." (Gospel 
Hymns No. 6). 

10. Mizpah benediction, Gen. 31:49. 



Order of Exercises, No. 2. 

1. An organ voluntary, if well rendered, not 
too long, and the music appropriate. It ought 
to be of a devotional character, and suited to the 
evening hour, if the meeting is held at that 
time, as is usually the case. There could be no 
better voluntary than one composed of the fa- 
miliar old tunes to the equally familiar and pre- 
cious old hymns, ' 'Sun of my soul, thou Savior 
dear," "Nearer, my God, to thee,'' "Abide 
with me, fast falls the eventide,'' "More love 
to thee, O Christ, ' ' ' 'Sweet hour of prayer, ' ' 
"Fading, still fading, the last beam is shin- 
ing. ' ' 

2. Reception of new members. As each 
name is read by the secretary the member rises 
and remains standing. The president or pastor, 
with a few well -chosen words, welcomes them 
into the society. All present then rise. 

3. Active membership pledge repeated in con- 
cert. 

4. Prayer by the chairman of the Lookout 
Committee. 

5. Song, < 'Take my life and let it be. ' ' 

6. Roll-call. Three names at a time. Oc- 
casionally sing a verse or two of some appropri- 
ate hymn during the calling of the roll. Also 



144 The Young People 9 s Prayer- Meeting. 

have persons who can do it well to offer prayer 
when it seems to be especially in order. 

7. Repeat the twenty -third Psalm in concert. 

8. Announcements by the president. 

9. Song, ' 'Blest be the tie. ' ' 

10. Benediction by the pastor. 



Order of Exercises, No. 3. 

1 . Remarks by the leader on the necessity of 
being fully consecrated to the service of God. 

2. Silent prayer for deeper consecration, fol- 
lowed by the chairman of the Prayer -meeting 
and Lookout Committees and the president of 
the society, each leading in a short prayer. 

3. Song, "For Christ and the Church.'* 
(Gospel Hymns, No. 6). 

4. Responsive reading. Psa. 51:1-17. 

5. Song, ' 'Blessed be the fountain of blood. ' ' 
(Gospel Hymns, No. 5). Sung as a solo and 
chorus. 

6. Meeting open for all to take part. 

7. Roll-call. All who are present and have 
already fulfilled their pledge by taking part, 
simply answer "present" when their names 
are called. Those who have not taken part can 
do so when the secretary reads their names, 
and the absent ones can have their quotations 
read, if they have arranged to have it done. 

8. All pledge themselves by rising, at the 
request of the leader, that they will assist in 



The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 145 

every possible way to make the mid-week prayer - 
meeting more interesting and profitable. 

9. Song, "God be with you till we meet 
again. ' ' 

10. Announcements and benediction by the 
leader. 



Order of Exercises, No. 4. 

1 . Sing two or three verses each of three or 
four bright, cheery, familiar hymns. Moody 
once said, ' ' Of the hour set apart for the prayer - 
meeting, I would have half the time spent in 
singing." Rev. F. E. Clark, when in Aus- 
tralia, while making his tour of the world, had 
three hymns sung at the beginning of a prayer - 
meeting he was leading before he got the right 
' 'key' ' for the meeting, and would have called 
for a fourth if he had not been successful with 
the third. 

2. Read, in concert, Matt. 6:1-9, and, bow- 
ing the head, repeat the Lord's Prayer. 

3. Song, ' 'Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. ' '" 
(Gospel Hymns, No. 6). 

4. Roll-call by the leader. All active mem- 
bers present whose name begins with ' ' A ' ' will 
please rise and renew their pledge by taking 
part in this consecration service. The person 
who is nearest the front will respond first each 
time , and then the next nearest will take part . 

When all whose name begins with ' ' A ' ' have 
responded, call for those whose initial letter 

10 



146 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

is "B, " and so on to the end of the alphabet. 
Let a verse or two of song be interspersed when- 
ever it will add to the interest of the meeting. 

5. Have the secretary call the roll as in 
No. 3. 

6. Ask all who will consecrate themselves as 
missionaries — all who are ' ' willing to be made 
willing' 'to ' 'go or send' ' the gospel to others — 
to indicate their consecration by rising. 

7. Prayer by the pastor that the ' 'spirit of 
missions, which is the spirit of Christ, ' ' may 
be the controlling principle in all hearts. 

8. Sing "Speed away," (Gospel Hymns, 
No. 6), as a dnet. 

9. All read in concert Miss Havergal's conse- 
cration hymn, ' 'Take my life and let it be. ' ' 

19. Announcements briefly made and meet- 
ing closed by the leader repeating, "Brethren, 
I count not myself to have apprehended; but 
this one thing I do, forgetting the things that 
are behind, and reaching forth unto those things 
which are before, I press toward the mark for 
the prize of the high calling of God in Christ 
Jesus . ' ' 

The audience responds by saying, "Let us 
therefore, as many as be perfect, be like 
minded. ' ' 

To this the leader replies, "And if in any- 
thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal 
even this unto you. ' ' 

All repeat in concert, "Nevertheless, whereto 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 147 

we have already attained, let us walk by the 
same rule, let us mind the same thing. ' ' Phil. 
3:13-16. 



Order of Exercises, No. 5. 

1 . Responsive reading of the twelfth chapter 
of Romans by the leader, members of the various 
committees as called upon, and the entire au- 
dience. The leader should read the first verse, 
then ask the Lookout Committee to read the 
second, everybody present the third, and the 
Prayer -meeting Committee the fourth, and so on 
to the end of the chapter. The members of the 
various committees should sit together. 

2. Song, "Oh, happy day that fixed my 
choice. ' ' 

3. Prayer by the leader. 

4. Song, solo or duet and chorus. 

5. Roll-call by the leader, who asks all the 
members of the Prayer -meeting Committee to 
rise and take part, then the Lookout Committee, 
the Music Committee, the Social Committee, and 
so on till all the committees have responded, 
which they should endeavor to do in such a way 
as to indicate the special work of each com- 
mittee. 

Have appropriate congregational singing inter- 
spersed, also arrange for an occasional solo or 
duet. , * 

6. Have the secretary call the roll as in 
No. 3. 



148 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

7. Song, of a devotional character. 

8. Invitation by the pastor to the associate 
members and others to confess Christ as their 
Savior. 

9. Invitation hymn, "Why not now?" (Gos- 
pel Hymns, No. 6). 

10. Announcements and benediction by the 
president. 



Order of Exercises, No. 6. 

1. The chairman or a member of the Music 
Committee might give a brief sketch of the 
author of some familiar consecration hymn, 
dwelling especially upon the origin of the hymn , 
then let it be sung. 

2. Prayer by the president. 

3. Announcement of the subject by the lead- 
er and reading of the Scripture texts selected 
by the International Committee, followed by 
the repetition of appropriate texts by the chair- 
man of the various committees. 

4. Singing of a consecration hymn. 

5. Have the names of all the active members 
in the society printed and a copy placed in the 
hands of every person present. Ask the person 
whose name first appears on the list to take part, 
to be followed by the next and so on to the end 
of the list. To avoid blunders, one person 
should quickly follow another. If anyone is 
absent, there need be but a short pause. A 



The Young People's Prayer- Meeting, 149 

mimeograph or hectograph may be used to do 
the printing. 

6. Let the chairman of the Lookout Com- 
mittee call the names of those who did not re- 
spond. Quite likely they are unavoidably ab- 
sent, but have sent a quotation to be read by 
another. 

7. Song, suited to the purpose of the meeting. 

8. Let all bow their heads,' while as many as 
possible offer sentence prayers of self -consecra- 
tion. 

.9. Closing remarks by the pastor. 

10. Announcements, song, benediction by the 
leader, ''The Lord bless thee and keep thee. 
The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be 
gracious unto thee. The Lord lift up his counte 
nance upon thee, and give thee peace. ' ' Num. 
6:24-26. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

SELECTIONS FOR THE CONSECRATION 
MEETING. 

""There is no more appropriate way of 
* taking part in a consecration meet- 
ing than by the recitation of a verse of 
Scripture, or a stanza or two of some 
suitable hymn, provided the quotation 
voices the sentiment and desire of one's 
own heart. The selection must be made 
thoughtfully and truthfully with this end 
in view. 

The selection, expressing the aspiration, 
purpose, desire, or determination of an- 
other, should be prefaced or supple- 
mented, by the reader, with a few words 
indicating this to be his wish also. 

The following selections of texts of 
Scripture and stanzas of consecration 
hymns, supplementing each other and ex- 
pressing practically the same thought, it 
is hoped will be suggestive and helpful. 

(150) 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting, 151 

They should in no case be substituted for 
thoughtful, prayerful, studious prepara- 
tion. They are not meant to take the 
place of anything that a person can and 
should do for himself, but to be stimulat- 
ing and suggestive : 

1 Chron. 29: 5. 

All for Jesus ! all for Jesus ! 

All my being's ransomed powers: 
All my thoughts, and words, and doings, 

All my days, and all my hours. 

Let my hands perform his bidding, 

Let my feet run in his ways , 
Let my eyes see Jesus only, 

Let my lips speak forth his praise. 

— Mary D. James. 

Matt. 20: 27, 28. 

My life, my love I give to thee, 
Thou Lamb of God, who died for me ; 
Oh, may I ever faithful be, 
My Savior and my God. 

Oh, thou who died on Calvary, 
To save my soul and make me free, 
I consecrate my life to thee , 
My Savior and my God. 



152 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

1 John 1: 7. 

To Jesus I give up my all, 
Every treasure and idol I know ; 

For his fullness of blessing I call, 
Till his blood washes whiter than snow. 

— Wm. McDonald. 

Heb. 9: 12. 

Lord, I am thine, entirely thine, 
Purchased and saved by blood divine. 
With full consent thine I would be, 
And own thy sovereign right in me. 

Here, at the cross where flowed the blood 
That bought my guilty soul for God, 
Thee, my new Master, now I call, 
And consecrate to thee my all. 

— Samuel Davies, 

ICor. 6: 19, 20. 

My body, soul, and spirit, 
Jesus, I give to thee, 
A consecrated offering, 
Thine evermore to be. 

I'm thine, O blessed Jesus, 
Washed by thy precious blood, 
Now seal me by thy Spirit, 
A sacrifice to God. 

— Mary D. James. 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 153 

Acts 4: 32. 

Naught that I have my own I call ; 
To Christ I do devote my all — 
Lord, if a sacrifice it be, 
I make it willingly for thee. 

(Adapted) F. E. Snow. 

Romans 12: 1. 

God, my Father in the sky ! 
Thou who dost hear me when I cry ! 

Oh, make ' 'these hands, these lips, these eyes, 
This heart , " a living sacrifice ! 
As once again, on bended knee, 

1 consecrate myself to thee. 

—M. Alice Metcalf. 

Romans 14: 7-9. 
Thine forever ! God of love , 
Hear me from thy throne above ; 
Thine forever may I be, 
Here and to eternity. 

—Mary F. Maude. 

Mark 1: 19, 20. 

Lord, I obey thy call, 

My youth, my strength, my hope, 
My talents , aspirations — all 

Are thine and thine alone. * 

— Joel S. Ives. 



154 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 



2 Tim. 4: 6-8. 

Be this the purpose of my soul, 
My solemn, my determined choice, 

To yield to his supreme control, 
And in his kind commands rejoice. 

Now I resolve with all my heart, 
With all my powers to serve the Lord, 

Nor from his precepts e ' er depart 
Whose service gives such rich reward. 

— Miss A. Steele. 

ECCL. 12: 1. 

Lord, I would gladly give 
Youth's morning bright ; 

Love ' s true endeavor spend 
Speeding the right ; 

Offering my youth to-day, 

Take it, O! God, I pray, 

Guide me in thine own way — 
In truth and light. 

— Wm. Bryant. 

Psalm 40: 3. 

I've learned to sing a glad new song 

Of praise unto our King I 
And now with all my ransomed powers 

His praises I will sing. 

— J. B. Hutchinson. 



The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 155 

Psalm 104: 33.] 

I will praise the Lord my Glory, 
I will praise the Lord my Light, 
He my cloud by day to cover, 
He my fire to guide by night. 

I will love him, I will trust him, 
All the remnant of my days, 
And will sing through endless ages, 
Only my Redeemer's praise. 

— EL Nathan. 

1 Peter 1: 18, 19. 

I belong to Jesus ; 

He has died for me ; 
I am his and he is mine 

Through eternity. 

I belong to Jesus ; 

I am not my own ; 
All I have and all I am, 

Shall be his alone. 

— M. Fraser. 

Romans 6: 12, 13. 

Lord, I give my all to thee, 

Friends , and time , and earthly store ; 
Soul and body thine to be , — 

Wholly thine for evermore. 

—Wm. McDonald. 



156 ' The Young Peoples Prayer -Meeting. 



Lam. 3: 27, 

In this the morning of my day, 
To Christ I give myself away, 
Without reserve, without delay ; 
O Lord, to thee I come. 

—R. A. D. 

Psalm 89: 1. 

I will sing of my Redeemer , 
And his wondrous love to me ; 

On the cross he sealed my pardon, 
Gave his life to make me free. 

Yes, I'll sing of my Redeemer, 
And his heavenly love for me ; 

He from death to life hath brought me, 
Son of God, with him to be. 

P. P. Bliss. 

Luke 24: 27, 32. 

More about Jesus would I know, 
More of his grace to others show ; 
More of his saving fullness see, 
More of his love who died for me. 

More about Jesus let me learn, 
More of his holy will discern ; 
Spirit of God, my teacher be, 
Showing the things of Christ to me . 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 157 

More about Jesus, in his Word, 
Holding communion with my Lord ; 
Hearing his voice in ev ' ry line , 
Making each faithful saying mine. 

—E. E. Hewitt 

Rev. 5: 9, 10. 
I will sing the wondrous story, 

Of the Christ who died for me, 
How he left his home in glory, 

For the cross on Calvary. 

Yes, I'll sing the wondrous story, 
Of the Christ who died for me ; 

Sing it with the saints in glory, 
Gathered by the crystal sea. 

— F. H. Rawley. 

Matt. 26: 42. 
Lord Jesus, as thou wilt ; 

Oh, may thy will be mine ; 
Into thy hand of love 

I now my all resign : 
Through sorrow or through joy, 

Conduct me as thine own, 
And help me still to say, 

My Lord, thy will be done. 

— Jane Borthivick. 

Philippians 3 : 7. 
My Jesus, I love thee, 
I know thou art mine , 



158 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

For thee all the follies 
Of sin I resign ; 
I will love thee in life, 
I will love thee in death, 
And praise thee as long 
As thou lendest me breath. 

— London Hymn Book, 1864. 

Matt. 10: 37. 

Jesus, I love thee, yes, thou art mine, 
Living or dying, still I am thine ; 
Jesus, I love thee, thou art to me 
Dearer than mortal ever can be. 

— Ella Dale. 

Luke 14: 33. 

Though late, I all forsake ; 

My friends , my all resign : 
Gracious Redeemer! take, O take, 

And seal me ever thine ! 

— Charles Wesley. 

Psalm 51: 7. 

Lord Jesus, look down from thy throne in the 

skies, 
And\help me to make a complete sacrifice ; 
I give up myself, and whatever I know ; 
Now, wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 

— James Nicholson. 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 159 

Matt. 20: 4. 

I will toil in the field where he calle'th me to go, 

Though humble the work may be ; 
I will ask no more : I only care to know 

'Tis the way my Lord leadeth me. 

— W. 0. Cushing. 

Mark 14: 7. 

I'll clothe the naked, lead the blind, 

Give to the weary rest ; 
For sorrow's children comfort find, 

And help for all distressed. 

—W. Cutter. 

Matt. 7: 13, 14. 

Let thoughtless thousands choose the road 
That leads the soul away from God ; 
This happiness, blest Lord, be mine, 
To live and die entirely thine. 

—H. F. Lyte. 

MATT-. 5: 45. 

SinGe from thy bounty I receive 
Such proofs of love divine , 

Had I a thousand hearts to give , 
Lord, they should all be thine. 

— S. Stennett. 



160 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

John 3: 16, 17. 

Just as I am, thy love, unknown, 
Has broken every barrier down ; 
JSTow to be thine, yea, thine alone, 
O, Lamb of God, I come, I come. 

— Charlotte Elliott. 

Matt. 5: 8. 

Purer in heart, O God, 

Help me to be ; 
May I devote my life 

Wholly to thee. 
Watch thou my wayward feet, 
Guide me with counsel sweet ; 

Purer in heart 
Help me to be. 

Purer in heart, O God, 

Help me to be ; 
That I thy holy face 
One day may see ; 
Keep me from secret sin, 
Beign thou my soul within ; 
Purer in heart 
Help me to be. 

— Mrs. A. L. Davison. 

Acts 20: 24. 

My life I bring to thee , 
I would not be my own ; 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting, 161 

O Savior, let me be 

Thine ever, thine alone ; 
My heart, my life, my all I bring, 
To thee, my Savior and my King. 

— Miss F. R. Havergal. 

John 13: 1. 

Savior, thy dying love 

Thou gavest me ; 
Nor should I ought withhold, 

Dear Lord, from thee. 

— 8. D. Phelps 

Matt. 10: 29: 30. 

How happy all thy servants are ! 

How great thy grace to me ! 
My life, which thou hast made thy care, 

Lord, I devote to thee. 

— Samuel Wesley. 

1 THESS. 5: 22, 23. 
Thine, most gracious Lord, 

O make me wholly thine — 
Thine in thought, in word, indeed, 
For thou, O Christ, art mine. 

-—Mrs. Annie S. Hawks. 

Acts 26: 28. 
Fully persuaded, Jesus is mine ; 

Fully persuaded, Lord, I am thine! 
11 



162 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

O make my love to thee 
Like thine own love to me , 
So rich , so full and free ; 
Savior divine. 

— J. B. Atchinson. 

Mark 10: 38. 

Oh, the bitter pain and sorrow 

That a time could ever be, 
When I proudly said to Jesus, 

' 'All of self, and none of thee. ' ' 

Higher than the highest heavens , 
Deeper than the deepest sea, 

Lord, thy love at last has conquered — 
' 'None of self, and ail of thee. ' ' 

Theo. Monod. 

Mark 14: 3. 

Set wholly apart for the use of the Master ; 

To work, or to rest, or to speak for his sake , 
To give to him, like Mary, my choice alabaster, 

My sweetest and best o'er his pierced feet to 
break. — Frances Beamish. , 

1 Samuel; 15: 22. 

I will go where you want me to go, Lord, 
Over mountain, or desert, or sea; 

I will say what you want me to say, Lord, 
I will be what you want me to be. 



The Young People's Prayer- Meeting, 163 

1 Cor. 6: 19, 20. 
' Not my own ! " my time, my talent, 

Freely all to Christ I bring, 
To be used in joyful service 
For the glory of our King. 

— El. Nathan. 

GALATIANS2: 20. 

Thine, Jesus, thine, 

No more this heart of mine 
Shall seek its joy apart from thee ; 
The world is crucified to me, 

And I am thine. 

Thine, thine alone, 

My joy, my hope, my crown ; 
Now earthly things may fade and die, 
They charm my soul no more, for I 

Am thine alone. 

— English. 

Galatians 6: 14. 
Precious Savior, may I live, 

Only for thee ! 
Spend the powers thou dost give 

Only for thee I 
Be my smiles and be my tears, 
Be my young and riper years , 
Be my peace and be my strife, 
Be my love and be my life 

Only for thee ! 

—Eliza Ann Walker. 



164 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

Philippians 4: 7-9. 

Prince of peace , control my will ; 
Bid this struggling heart be still ; 
Bid my fears and doubtings cease, 
Hush my spirit into peace . 

Thou hast bought me with thy blood, 
Opened wide the gate to God : 
Peace I ask — but peace must be , 
Lord, in being one with thee. 

— Mary A. S. Barber. 

Psalm 51: 10. 

Take my soul and body ' s powers ; 

Take my memory , mind and will ; 
All my goods , and all my hours ; 

All I know , and all I feel ; 
All I think, or speak, or do; 

Take my heart, but make it new. 

— Charles Wesley. 

COLOSSIANS 3: 11. 

Before the cross of Him who died, 

Behold, I prostrate fall ; 
Let every sin be crucified, 

And Christ be all in all. 

— Matthew Bridges. 



CHAPTEE XV. 

PROGRAMS FOR SPECIAL MEETINGS. 



A Catechetical Meeting. 

(Subject— "Soul- Winning. ") 

1. Song, " Rescue the perishing. " 
2o Prayer by the pastor for more soul -win- 
ners. 

3. Song, ' 'Who is on the Lord's side?" 

4. Responsive reading of Bible questions and 
answers, one person reading the question and 
another the answer. To do this, both references 
should be duplicated and numbered, or else the 
texts should be written or printed in full and 
numbered thus : 



QUESTIONS. 




ANSWERS. 


To. 1. Mark 8: 36. 


No. 1. 


Psa. 49:6, 7. 


" 2. Mark 8: 37. 


" 2. 


IPet. 1:19, 20. 


" 3. Psa. 88:14. 


" 3." 


Isa. 59:2. 


" 4. Rom. 7:24. 


" 4. 


Acts 4: 10-12. 


"5." Acts 16: 30. 


" 5. 


Acts 16: 31-34. 


" 6. Rev. 7:13. 


" 6. 


Rev. 7:14-17. 


" 7 Luke 13: 23. 


" 7. 


Rev. 7:9. 


" 8. Matt. 19:25. 


" 8. 


Rev. 22:17. 


All repeat in concert Rev. 22 


:14. 


5. Song, ' 'Whosoever heareth. ' ' 




(165) 





166 The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 

6. What is it to be a soul -winner? Give a 
short, concise definition. 

7. Will you give three reasons why every 
Christian ought to be a winner of sonls? The 
will of God; your own salvation, Ezek. 33: 8, 9 ; 
the church supplied with workers, pastors, 
teachers, missionaries, Matt. 9:36-38; the ex- 
ample and command of Christ ; the value of the 
soul, are some of the reasons that may be given. 
Occupy not more than two minutes . 

8. Song, "Oh, what are you going to do, 
brother?" 

9. Short prayer for willingness to toil in any 
field. 

10. What are some of the things that cause 
failure in an attempt to win souls? Lack of 
faith, tact, perseverence or courage ; insufficient 
preparation ; not enough love , ' ' Love never 
f aileth ; ' ' not really consecrated to God and the 
work, are among the causes of failure. Speak 
briefly of two or three of these, from experience, 
or observation, or both. 

11. Prayer — brief, earnest, fervent, believing 
—for wisdom to win souls. See Prov. 11:30; 
James 1:5-7, 5:16-18. 

12. Song, "Weary gleaner, whence comest 
thou?" To be sung as an antiphonal solo, the 
congregation joining in the chorus. Let three 
persons respond in turn. 

13. Will you tell of some of the earthly re- 
wards of soul -winning? The good that comes 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 167 

to the community ; to the family of the indi- 
vidual ; to the person himself who has been turn- 
ed from sin ; to the person who turned him, may 
be mentioned as some of these rewards. See 
James 5: 20. 

14. Song, solo and chorus, * 'Where is my 
wandering boy?' ' 

15. Prayer for prodigal sons and daughters, 
and their anxious fathers and mothers. 

16. Luke 15:11-32 read by different persons 
in the audience, each reading a verse as they 
shall be called upon by the leader. 

17. What does the Bible, experience and ob- 
servation teach us follows soul -winning? Joy 
to the soul saved ; to the individual who has been 
the instrument of God in his salvation ; rejoicing 
among the good on earth and the saints and 
angels in heaven. Develop these and similar 
facts in a two -minute talk. See Luke 15:7, 10, 
32; 2 Cor. 7:4; Phil. 2:17, 18; 1 Pet. 1:8. 

18. Invitation hymn, "Why do you wait, 
dear brother?' ' 

It will be observed that the songs, 
Scripture reading and requests for re- 
marks are nearly all in the interrogative 
form, hence the name, " Catechetical," 
given to the meeting. A considerable 
amount of tact is necessary on the part 
of the leader to prevent the meeting 



168 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

being formal, but if suitable preparation 
has been made by all who are to partici- 
pate, and the leader will use tact in con- 
ducting the meeting, the results, I am 
sure, will be in every way satisfactory. 
I have selected the topic, " Soul- 
winning," on account of its importance. 
Any other subject may be treated in a 
similar manner. Everything, even to the 
minutest detail, should be arranged be- 
fore the meeting. When you get 
through with the program as you have 
outlined it, stop. If the time expires 
before you have carried out the entire 
order of exercises, stop. The songs indi- 
cated in this program may all be found 
in "Gospel Hymns, Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4." 



Missionary Meeting, No. 1. 

1. Song, "From Greenland's icy moun- 
tains* ' ' 

2. The 67th Psalm repeated in concert, the 
request having been made at the meeting the 
previous Sunday that all memorize it during 
the week. 

3. Prayer by the chairman of the Missionary 
Committee for foreign missions . 



The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 169 

4. Song, "Over the ocean wave, far, far 
away. ' ' 

5. Recitation of missionary texts. Let the 
request be made in time for all to be prepared. 
Matt 28:19, 20; Acts 8:4; Psa. 2:8; Isa. 54: 
2, 3; Acts 16:9, 10; Psa. 72: 8 ; Acts 18: 8 ; Mai. 
1:11; Acts 2:41; Psa. 22:27; Dan. 7:14; Acts 
11:19-21; Isa. 2:4, and many others. They 
should be repeated in quick succession. 

6. Prayer by the leader for the growth of the 
missionary spirit. 

7. Quartette, "Sowing in the morning. ' ' 

8. Original two -minute paper on ' 'The Biog- 
raphy of a Heathen Woman,'' — "unwelcome 
at birth; untaught in childhood; unloved in 
womanhood ; uncherished in widowhood ; unpro - 
tected in old age ; unlamented when dead. ' ' 

9. Recitation, Miss Frances R. Havergal's 
poem entitled, "Sisters,'' in Missionary Tid- 
ings, Indianapolis, for May, 1891. 

10. Prayer for more helpers, by some mem- 
ber who is actively engaged in doing missionary 
work. 

11. "Our work in India." Three two- 
minute papers by as many persons on subdivi- 
sions of the topic. One on "The Field,'' in 
which the people; our mission stations, how 
many, where located; when established; opposi- 
tion to the work ; converts ; present needs ; out- 
look for the future, may be considered. A 
second paper on ' ' Our Missionaries ' ' —how 



170 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting, 

many have we? who are they? where were they 
educated? why did they go to the foreign field? 
how are they supported? And a third paper on 
' 'Helping the Missionaries in their Work" — 
their need of help ; our obligation to assist ; the 
various ways in which help may be given, by 
our prayers, letters of encouragement, money; 
their work and ours inseparable. 

12. Song, ' 'Tell it out among the nations. ' ' 

13. Collection for Indian missions. 

14. Doxology and benediction. 



Missionary Meeting, No. 2. 

lo Song, "We gather again in the name of 
our Lord, ' ' 

2. Responsive recitation of Miss Havergal's 
consecration hymn, ''Take my life," and ap- 
propriate texts of Scripture. After each couplet 
of the hymn has been repeated, have some per- 
son respond with an apt Scripture quotation. 
As there are ten couplets , it should be arranged 
to have twenty persons take part. The follow- 
ing references may be suggestive : Acts 20 : 24 ; 
Psa. 63:4; Rom.- 10:15; Psa. 104:33; Psa. 
145:1, 2; Acts 21:13, 14; John 5:30; Psa. 
138:1; Psa. 18:1, 2; Rom. 12:1, 2. 

3. Prayer by some member of the society who 
is a thorough missionary. 

4. Reading of Isa. 54:2-5 by the leader, 
which he follows with a short talk. 

5. Song, ' 'The morning light is breaking. ' ' 



The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 171 

6. Short paper on "The Relation of the 
Christian Endeavor Society to Missions . ' ' 

7. Song, ' 'Great Jehovah, mighty Lord. ' * 

8. Paper, "What our Society is Doing for 
Home and Foreign Missions. ' J 

9. Song, ' 'Work for the night is coming. ' ' 

10. Reading of a letter from some missionary 
the society is assisting to support. 

11. Prayer with special reference to this 
missionary and her work. * 

12c "What more can we do for missions ?' ' 
Ask five or six persons to thoughtfully consider 
the question and be prepared to give short, defi- 
nite answers. 

13. Select the one thing suggested that seems 
to be the most important and practical, and, 
after briefly emphasizing these two points, ask 
all who will pledge themselves to its support to 
do so by rising. Request the pastor to invoke 
the blessing of God upon the object chosen, as 
well as upon the members who have assumed 
the responsibility of this additional work, ' 'for 
Christ and the Church. ' ' 

14. Solo and chorus, ''Throw out the Life- 
line." 

15. Benediction by the president. 

All hymns selected from "Gospel Hymns, 
No. 6, Endeavor Edition. ' ' 



172 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

An Evening With Hymn -Writers and their 
Hymns. 

(Consult Driffield's "English Hymns," bio- 
graphical encyclopedia, musical dictionaries, 
hymn books, papers and magazines) . 

1. A three -minute talk by the pastor on 
"Mary, the Mother of Jesus" — her lineage, 
name , home , traditional appearance , song etc . , 
dwelling particularly upon the annunciation as 
the occasion of the composition of her song, and 
the peculiarities of her ' 'hymn of praise. ' ' 

2. Scripture reading in concert — Mary's 
Song— ' < The Magnificat . ' ' Luke 1 : 46 - 55 . 

3. Prayer by the chairman of the Music Com- 
mittee. 

4. "Isaac Watts and his hymns." Occupy 
not more than three minutes in bringing out the 
principal features. 

5. Song, "Joy to the world, " tune, "Anti- 
och. ' ' 

6. A short biographical account of Handel, 
the composer of ' ' Antioch. ' ' 

7. "The Esthonian Legend of the Origin of 
Song." See "English Hymns, " page 307. 

8. The tune "Old Hundred," and Wilhelm 
Franc its composer. 

9. Biographical sketch of Bishop Thomas 
Ken, author of the doxology, "Praise God, 
from whom all blessings flow. ' ' 

10. Hymn, "Praise God." Tune, "Old 
Hundred. ' ' 



The Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 173 

11. Relate briefly one or two incidents con- 
nected with the use of this hymn. See ■ 'English 
Hymns, ' ' page 456. 

12. Give a short history of Miss Phoebe 
Cary. 

13. Hymn, "One sweetly solemn thought." 
To be sung as a solo. 

14. Repeat the authentic story of the gamblers 
in China, illustrating the power of song in 
general, and of this one in particular, over the 
soul. See ' 'English Hymns, ' ' page 448. 

15. Give a three -minute talk about "Charles 
Wesley, the hymn -writer. ' ' 

16. Hymn, ' 'Jesus, lover of my soul. ' ' Tune, 
"Martyn. " 

17. Tell of this hymn being a universal favor- 
ite , and give two or three reasons why you think 
it is so. 

18. Read what Henry Ward Beecher once 
said concerning it. "English Hymns," page 
287. 

19. Arrange for two or three persons to each 
relate an incident in which this hymn had a con- 
spicious place. 

20. Read a two -minute paper on ' 'Mendels- 
shon, the musical composer. 

21. Hymn, ' 'Hark, the herald angels sing. ' ' 
Tune, Mendelsshon ' s ' ' Herald Angels . ' ' 

22. A brief history of "Edward Perronet and 
the hymn that made him famous — 'All hail the 
power of Jesus' name. ' ' ' 



174 The Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 

23. "Coronation" and Oliver Holden — the 
Tune and its Composer. Give a short account of 
both. See * 'English Hymns, ' ' page 19. 

24. Hymn, "All hail the power of Jesus' 
name. ' ' Tune, ' 'Coronation. ' ' 

25. Benediction. 



THE USE OF THE BLACKBOARD 

IN THE 

YOUNG PEOPLE'S PRAYER -MEETING. 

Tt has often occurred to me that one of 
* the most valuable aids to the young 
people's prayer-meeting is being sadly 
neglected. I refer to the blackboard. 1 
see very little in our papers concerning 
its use, and I believe its proffered assist- 
ance is being refused by the mighty host 
of young people who meet every week in 
the capacity of a prayer-meeting. If this 
is so, then one of the principal avenues 
to the heart is not being utilized for the 
gospel message. There are songs, Scrip- 
ture readings, prayers, illustrations, re- 
marks, quotations, etc., ad infinitum, 
appealing to the heart through the ear, 
to the partial or entire neglect of that no 
less important avenue, the eye. 

Object-teaching has long been consid- 
ered the most effectual means of child 
(175) 



176 The Use of the Blackboard 

training, and we ought to realize that it 
is one of the best methods of instructing 
the adult — " the child grown older." 

This was the method adopted by the 
Savior, and he never made any mistakes. 
Bead the Gospels and see the beauty and 
learn the power of object-teaching. 

The blackboard, if used intelligently, 
can be made very helpful. Like every 
thing else that tends to make the meet- 
ings more interesting and profitable, it 
must have time and thought applied to it. 
Even a blackboard can get into a " rut." 

Let me suggest a few of the ways in 
which a blackboard can be put to good 
use in the prayer-meeting. 

Do not always use it in the same way. 
That is the bane of nearly all religious 
service to-day. The blackboard is used 
more extensively in the Sunday-schools 
than in any other department of church 
work, and almost invariably in a stereo- 
typed manner. There are other "chest- 
nuts" besides the oft-repeated stories 
and illustrations, especially when applied 
to the church, Sunday-school, mid-week 



In the Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 177 

prayer-meeting, and, sometimes, to that 
fresh, vigorous, promising organization, 
the Y. P. S. C. E. 

Do not allow the blackboard to come in 
for its share of censure, by making a 
"wall-flower" of it, or at least the same 
kind of wall-flower at every meeting. 

Do not use the blackboard to show your 
ingenuity as a delineator. The prayer- 
meeting is not the place to display fashion 
plates and show-bills. I have sometimes 
seen what appeared to me something very 
much like this attempted in the Sunday- 
school, and in the " custom made " black- 
board illustrations in certain Sunday- 
school journals, where more ingenuity 
than sanctified common sense was used. 

Illustrate the subject of the meeting if 
it can be aptly done, otherwise do not 
attempt it. Some topics can be well 
illustrated by some persons. This is a 
very important statement, and should 
always be remembered. An illustration 
fails to illustrate if it does not carry with 
it its own explanation and application of 
the fact illustrated. 

12 



178 The Use of the Blackboard 

The idea I would convey is that the 
illustration to be apt and appropriate 
must not be similar to the two pictures 
the little boy drew on his new slate. One 
was the picture of a cow, the other that 
of a sheep, but they were so nearly alike 
that he had to distinguish them by writ- 
ing, "This is a cow. The other is a 
sheep." 

Apt pictorial illustrations, like words 
fitly spoken, are like apples of gold in 
pictures of silver, and if you have some 
one in your society endowed with the 
peculiar talent to make them, give him 
an opportunity to do so. 

If the subject can not be suitably illus- 
trated, then let some other appropriate 
theme be thus brought to the attention of 
those present. "Lost Opportunities" 
may be written at the top of the black- 
board and illustrated in scores of ways. 
The same may be said of " The Value of 
Little Things," "Intemperance," " Sow- 
ing and Reaping," "The Power of 
Habit," and many other subjects of equal 
importance, all of which should be in> 



In the Young People's Prayer- Meeting. 179 

pressed upon heart and mind again and 
again in every conceivable way. 

Write or print the subject of the meet- 
ing and the central thought, together 
with the Scripture texts to be read for 
the opening lesson. A few hymns, to be 
sung at the beginning of the meeting, 
may be selected and the numbers indi- 
cated on the blackboard. An appropri- 
ate stanza or two of some hymn may also 
be added — written in full. 

At another time a suitable text of 
Scripture may be written on the board, 
followed by one or two lessons that should 
be learned from it. Or the text may be 
supplemented by a sentence or two of 
appeal, or an exclamatory sentence indi- 
cating surprise, or an interrogatory sen- 
tence. Matt. 11 : 28 may be followed by 
lessons or sentences as indicated, as may 
hundreds of other texts. But try this 
one and see how easily it can be done. 

Write on the blackboard what Charles 
Darwin said about foreign missionary 
work; William E. Gladstone's statement 
concerning modern preaching; Napoleon 



180 The Use of the Blackboard. 

Bonaparte's tribute to Christ; Queen 
Victoria's message to the Queen of Mad- 
agascar; Robert IngersolPs despairing 
wail at the funeral of his brother; James 
A. Garfield's creed, or the "weighty 
words" of some other noted person. 

Subdivide the topic and write the topic 
and subdivisions on the blackboard, hav- 
ing previously arranged with as many 
persons as there are subdivisions to con- 
sider them briefly in the order in which 
they are written. 

At the close, write the best sentence on 
the board that has been spoken by any 
one during the meeting. It is well to 
have a reversible board so that this sen- 
tence may be placed by itself on the op- 
posite side. 

The leader need not always be the 
judge of the best sentence. Sometimes 
the chairman of one of the committees 
or the president or some one else may act 
in this capacity, and should briefly tell 
what he thinks the best sentence spoken, 
and why. 

Of course his opinion may differ from 



In the Young People's Prayer -Meeting. 181 

the opinions of others, but it should not 
lead to the expression of those opinions, 
especially in the spirit of criticism and 
fault-finding. 

Whatever is placed upon the black- 
board should be done before the meeting 
begins, with the exception just men- 
tioned. 

Studiously avoid all acrostics, mono- 
grams and "flourishes" done for " ef- 
fect," for they do not produce the effect 
that should be desired. Use the black- 
board conscientiously; use it prayerfully; 
use it eclectically; use it regularly; and 
you will surely use it profitably. 









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